GARDEN  PROFITS 

BIG  MONEY  IN  SMALL  PLOTS 


56 

Garden  Profits    ?i 

BIG  MONEY  IN  SMALL  PLOTS 


By 
E.  L.  D.  SEYMOUR,  B.  S.  A. 


ILLUSTRATED 


GARDEN  CITY       NEW  YORK 

DOUBLEDAY,  PAGE  &  COMPANY 

1913 


Copyright,  x$n,  by 

,  *A6*  ft  GarfAKY 


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

In  the  following  pages  the  keynote  is  experience.  The  results 
stated,  the  methods  suggested,  the  varieties  advised  —  all  are 
the  results  of  actual,  sincere  experience.  For  it  is  by  such 
means  that  the  uninitiated  can  be  really  assisted  and  given 
practical,  usable  directions  towards  success. 

Whatever  matter  I  have  quoted  has  been  generously  offered 
by  its  originator  or  discoverer,  with  the  idea  of  helping  his  fellow 
gardener.  Personal  experiences,  individual  results,  original 
ideas,  have  been  submitted  that  the  success  that  followed  them 
might  be  shared,  not  monopolized.  It  is  in  this  spirit  of  common 
interest,  that  of  a  member  of  a  fraternity  of  tillers  of  the  soil, 
that  I  acknowledge  the  assistance  I  have  received.  I  wish  to 
mention  especially  "The  Vest-pocket  Garden  Record  System," 
devised  by  Mr.  J.  L.  Kay  an;  and  the  details  of  coldframe 
management  supplied  by  Mr.  George  Standen.  For  much 
of  the  material  for  Chapter  V.  on  "A  Year's  Cycle  in  the 
Garden,"  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  William  C.  McCollom,  for  his 
articles  on  the  seasons'  work  in  the  vegetable  garden.  The 
tables  in  Chapter  VII.  on  the  insects  and  diseases  of  plants 
is  the  work  of  Dr.  E.  Porter  Felt,  State  Entomologist  of  New 
York;  and  the  methods  of  mixing  spray  materials  in  small 
quantities  were  worked  out  by  Mr.  W.  C.  O'Kane. 

In  conclusion,  I  acknowledge  the  assistance  rendered  by  The 
Garden  Magazine,  from  which  I  have  obtained  numerous  ideas 
and  valuable  data. 


E.  L.  D.  S. 


Garden  City,  N.  Y.,  February,  1911. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I 

PAGE 

THE  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 3 

Intensive  vs.  Extensive  Culture 6 

The  Danger  of  Undercapitalization     ......  7 

The  Consumer  Coming  Into  His  Own     ....  9 

CHAPTER  II 

MONEY  IN  THE  BACK  YARD 10 

How  To  Make  Twenty-four  Tomato  Plants  Hand 

You  Fifty  Dollars         II 

Does  Hoeing  Pay?     Well,  Rather! 14 

What  a  Garden  Did  for  an  Invalid 14 

A  New  Kind  of  Economy  in  the  Garden     ...  16 

Plant  Early  and  Smile  at  Your  Neighbours      .      .  16 

The  Versatile  Hotbed 17 

Growing  Plants  in  a  Chicken  Brooder     ....  18 

Hotbed  Results  —  Without  a  Hotbed      ....  19 

How  to  Grow  Vegetables  Before  You  Plant  Them     .  19 

Modern  Success  —  With  Old-fashioned  Methods   .      .  21 

Getting  Better  Seed 21 

The  "Best"  Potato  and  How  to  Obtain  It    ...  22 

It's  Never  Too  Late  to  Garden 23 

A  Garden  Planted  After  the  Fourth  of  July     ...  23 

Discovered!  The  Real  Use  for  a  Back  Fence    .       .  29 
One-fifth  of  a  Ton  of  Tomatoes  from  300  Square  Feet 

of  Ground 31 

Getting  Along  Without  Manure 31 

Making  Tomato  Plants  Perennial 33 

Making  Your/Oton  Sprirtgtime 33 

How  to  Double  the'  Cabbage  Crop  in  Yield  and 

Quality           33 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  II  —  Continued 

PACK 

The  Two  Greatest  Garden  Problems  — and  Their 

Solution 34 

Double  the  Usefulness  of  the  Clothes  Pole  —  and 

Beautify  It 34 

A  Welcome  for  Poultry  in  the  Garden 35 

The  Secret  of  Successful  Gardens 36 

Commercial  Methods  Worth  Copying      ....  37 

Overtime  Growth  in  the  Strawberry  Bed  ...  38 
Barrels  of  Strawberries !  Doing  Away  with  Plowing, 

Cultivating  and  Mulching 39 

CHAPTER  III 

SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  You  CAN  HAVE 43 

Twelve  Hundred  Per  Cent.  Profit  from  20  x  27  feet 

of  Ground 43 

Bean-strings  —  Cheaper  and  Simpler  than  Poles  .  .  46 
Expenses  One  Dollar,  minus;  Returns,  Fourteen 

Dollars,  plus! 48 

What  Science  Has  Done  for  the  Gardener  ...  49 

The  Redemption  of  a  28-foot  Square  Back  Yard  .  49 

What  the  Square  Yielded 53 

What  One  Woman  Can  Do  With  Ten  Dollars  .  .  54 

Suggestions  Worth  Money  58 

A  Practical  Working  Calendar  ....  -59 

Tales  of  Three  Gardens  and  Three  Hundred  Dollars  64 

What  the  Man  "Without  Any  Time"  Can  Do  .  .  64 

A  New  Chapter  in  the  "Book  of  Friendship"  .  .  65 

Transplanting — One  Way  to  Save  Space  ...  68 

A  Ten-Minutes-A-Day  Garden 68 

Five  Crops  on  One  Foot  of  Ground 70 

What  Your  Garden  Can  Grow 73 

Combining  Succession  and  Rotation 79 

Exploring  the  Unknown  —  A  Plea  for  Unfamiliar 

Vegetables 85 

Boys  —  and  Girls  —  and  Gardens 85 

A  Fourteen- Year-Old  Boy's  Garden  That  Produced 

Seventy  Dollars 86 

The  Thorough  Gardener  and  His  Reward  ...  90 


CONTENTS 

Chapter  III  —  Continued 

PAGE 

The  Need  of  Garden  Records        .....      .      .  91 

Can  You  Devise  a  Better  One? 91 

A  Vest-pocket  Garden  Record  System  92 

Early  Plants  Without  a  Hotbed         ...    V    -  96 

Big  Returns  from  Eight  Dollars          ....      .  98 

Cutting  Down  Seed  Expense    .......  98 

More  Than  Six  Hundred  Per  Cent.  Returns     .      .  99 

How  to  Make  the  Garden  Plan  Practical    ....  99 

Complete  Cultural  Directions  in  Tabular  Form  100-104 

CHAPTER  IV 

GETTING  THE  MOST  OUT  OF  FRAMES  AND  HOTBEDS      .  105 

The  Difference  Between  "Coldframes"  and  "Hot- 
beds"          106 

How  to  Build  a  Hotbed      ........  107 

A  New  Method  for  Hardening  Hotbed  Plants     .      .  no 

Hotbed  Mats in 

A  Home-made  Straw  Mat in 

Building  the  Coldframe 114 

The  Entire  Management  of  a  Coldfraine  .  116 
Preparation.  Sowing.  Ventilating.  Watering. 
Transplanting.  Hardening  off .  Lettuce.  Tbiha- 
toes.  Peppers.  Beets.  Carrots.  Eggplant. 
Onions.  Leeks.  Beans.  Parsley.  Spinach. 
Celery.  Cauliflower.  Cabbage.  Peas. 


CHAPTER  V 
A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN        133 

The  Planning  Season:     December  to  February   .      .     133 

January. —  The  Garden  Plan.  Some  General 
Advice.  Seeds  and  Yields  for  a  Definite  Area. 
Transplanted  Vegetables.  When,  Where  and 
What  to  Transplant.  Catalogues  and  Seedsmen. 
Good  Seed.  Kinds  and  Varieties.  Keeping 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  V  —  Continued 

PACE 

Seeds.  Tools  and  Repairs.  Other  Odd  Jobs 
About  the  Garden.  Manure.  The  First  Plant- 
ing. For  the  Fruit  Garden.  Special  Require- 
ments. 

February. —  Hotbeds.  The  Growing  Plants. 
New  Plantings.  Fruitward  Thoughts. 

The  Season  of  Planting:     March  to  June     .      .      .      150 

March. —  Planting  and  Transplanting.  Moving 
Last  Month's  Seedlings.  Just  How  to  Trans- 
plant. "Dibbling."  Paper  Pots.  The  First 
Potatoes.  Making  an  Asparagus  Bed.  Advice 
for  the  Future.  Rhubarb  Beds,  too.  Getting 
the  Ground  Ready.  Clay  Soils.  The  Seed-bed. 
Planting  the  Fruit  in  the  Garden.  Tree  Fruits. 
Grapes.  Bush  Fruits.  Strawberries. 

4pril.—  The  Value  of  Manure.  The  Prin- 
ciples of  Seed  Sowing.  Drilling.  The  All  Sea- 
son Crops.  Sowing  for  Succession.  Corn. 

The  Busy  Growing  Season:     May  to  October     .      .     '170 

May. —  The  Main  Corn  Crop.  Melons  and 
Lima  Beans.  Pumpkins,  Squash,  etc.  New 
Zealand  Spinach.  More  Succession  Sowing. 
A  Rule  for  Succession  Crops.  Setting  Out  the 
Tender  Plants.  Fall  Crops.  The  Asparagus 
Bed.  "To  Hill  or  Not  to  Hill."  Thinning  Out. 
Fruit  Notes.  The  Growing  Season  for  Fruits. 
June.—  A  Washing  Tank  for  Vegetables. 
When  to  Gather  Vegetables.  Special  Care  for 
Melons.  Supporting  the  Tomato  Vines.  Look- 
ing Out  for  Insects.  Water  and  Fertilizer. 
Fruits. 

July. —  Fighting  the  Heat  and  Drought. 
Late  Transplanting.  Celery  Care.  Don't  For- 
get the  Asparagus  Bed.  Ripening  and  Picking 
Melons.  What  to  Sow  in  July.  Thinning  Fruit. 
Bag  the  Grapes.  Keep  Up  the  Cultivating. 
Pruning. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  V  —  Continued 

PAGE 

August.—  Blanching  Celery  With  Boards.  The 
Hilling  Method.  Keep  the  Celery  Growing. 
Seeds  for  Present  Sowing.  Do  You  Know  a 
Ripe  Watermelon?  Harvest  the  Onions.  Begin 
to  Save  Manure  Now.  Putting  the  Fruits  to 
Sleep. 

September. —  Plan  Improvements.  Fall  Sow- 
ings. The  Handmarks  of  a  Careful  Gardener. 

October. —  Cover  Crops  and  Insects.  Getting 
the  Best  of  the  Early  Frosts.  Keeping  Celery 
Outdoors.  Storing  Roots. 

The  Quiet  Season:  November         207 

November. —  Storing  Celery  for  Winter.  The 
Celery  Trench.  In  the  Very  Small  Garden.  A 
Good  Time  to  Fight  Cutworms.  Mulching 
Strawberries.  Tender  Varieties  of  Brambles. 
Apples,  Pears,  etc. 

CHAPTER  VI 

THE  SIMPLICITY  OF  SELF-MAINTAINING  FERTILITY  THAT 

EVERYONE  CAN  HAVE 114 

Plant  Food  That  Never  Runs  Out 215 

The  Greatest  Secret  of  All 216 

What  Certain  Plants  Like  Best 217 

Fertility  that  Every  Garden  Can  Have       .      .      .      .218 

Available  Manure  for  Every  Small  Garden      .      .      .  219 

The  Simple  Art  of  Using  Manure 220 

Saving  Manure  =  Saving  Money 221 

Concentrated  Plant  Food  for  Small  Gardens     .      .      .  222 

How  Much  to  Use 222 

Some  Very  Cheap  Fertilizers 225 

Manures  That  You  Don't  Have  to  Buy       .      .      .  226 

The  Secret  of  Unending  Fertility 227 

Killing  the  Soil  Robbers 228 

"Simplicity"          228 


CONTENTS 
CHAPTER  VII 


WHAT  AILS  YOUR  PLANTS? 230 

How  to  Make  Spray  Mixtures 231-240 

Bordeaux  Mixture.  Ammoniacal  Copper  Car- 
bonate. Formalin.  Arsenate  of  Lead.  Kerosene 
Emulsion.  Tobacco  Water.  Soap  Solution. 
Pyrethrum.  Poisoned  Bran  Mash.  Combined 
Mixtures. 

What  Bothers  the  Small  Fruits 241 

The  Worst  Pests  of  our  Orchard  Trees    .     .     .       242-243 
For  the  Vegetable  Garden 244-245 

GLOSSARY  OF  SPECIAL  TERMS 

INDEX *»***t    •••••< 


GARDEN  PROFITS 

BIG  MONEY  IN  SMALL  PLOTS 


GARDEN   PROFITS 


THE  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME 

THERE'S  money  in  your  backyard.    Per- 
haps you  thought  there  was  only  a 
varied    collection   of    rubbish,    weeds 
and   unsightly   mud,  and   no    partic- 
ular  hope   for     anything    else.      Or, 
if  you  are  a  bit  neater  and  more  particular  than 
the  majority,  it  may  have  meant  a  smooth  grass 
plot,   dotted  with   clothes   poles,   perhaps   relieved 
by  a  flower  bed  or  two. 

But  have  you  ever  thought  that  every  square 
foot  of  that  ground  is  worth  money  to  you?  Dol- 
lars and  cents  ?  Vegetables  and  fruits  for  your  own 
use  and  for  sale;  fresh,  tender,  delicious,  and  in- 
stead of  your  paying  the  grocer  for  them,  they  are 
bringing  you  a  profit?  Moreover,  there  is  health 
waiting  to  be  dug  out  of  the  ground;  an  appetite 
and  a  means  of  satisfying  it!  A  prescription,  and 
the  medicine  with  which  to  fill  it — that's  the  kind 
of  a  doctor  to  have,  especially  when  his  pills  don't 
have  to  be  sugar-coated. 

In   lifting  from  the  backyard   the  familiar  but 


4  GARDEN  PROFITS 

wornout  ban  of  uselessness  and  ugliness,  I  do  not 
claim  to  advance  any  wonderful  new  scheme, 
to  disclose  a  "marvellous  secret  of  success"  (for 
which  I  charge  one  dollar),  or  to  convey  an  in- 
fallible means  of  making  a  fortune  in  six  months. 
The  reported  fabulous  returns  from  such  crops  as 
ginseng  are  rarely,  if  ever,  actual,  and  at  best, 
success  in  such  cases  depends  upon  an  uncertain 
market  thousands  of  miles  away.  But  vegetables 
and  fruits  are  staples;  they  find  markets  every- 
where, while  guaranteed  freshness  and  quality, 
contrasted  with  the  doubtful,  wilted  store  prod- 
uce, are  at  a  premium  even  in  the  height  of  the 
growing  season.  It  is  often  possible  to  arrange  for 
an  exchange  of  goods  —  especially  if  you  are  within 
reach  of  the  typical  village  "general  store."  Even 
the  actual  financial  gain  is  intensified  when  we  can 
deliver  peas,  beans  or  corn,  which  it  has  given  us 
only  pleasure  to  raise,  and  receive  in  return  gro- 
ceries, meat  and  the  like,  without  having  even  to 
mention  the  inflated  price  of  beef  and  the  increased 
cost  of  living.  In  fact,  for  the  owner  of  a  small 
garden,  there  need  be  no  such  thing  as  "increased 
cost,"  for  the  soil  grows  ever  more  generous  under 
care  and  attention,  and  with  proper  precautions 
can  be  made  to  yield  not  less,  but  more  and  more 
with  each  succeeding  year. 

Therefore,  while  I  do  not  wish  to  mislead  any 
reader  into  expecting  an  independent  fortune 
from  the  backyard,  yet  I  do  maintain  that  there 
is  such  a  thing  as  making  a  few  hundred  feet  of 
soil  produce  money.  Not  a  few  of  the  (literally 


THE  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME          5 

speaking)  "wise  ones"  have  already  done  this, 
and  if  you  have  the  "push,"  the  common  sense 
and  the  "wide-awake-ness"  that  go  with  a  love 
for  seeing  and  making  things  grow,  why  you,  too, 
can  begin  to  reap  the  reward,  and  become  one  of 
those  "lucky  fellows." 

Don't  for  a  minute  think  that  your  yard  is  too 
small,  or,  because  the  grass  has  been  trampled  out 
of  sight  and  swamped  with  ashes,  that  the  real 
live  soil  isn't  there.  How  about  the  girl  who  planted 
a  few  cents'  worth  of  seeds  and  raised  enough  plants 
to  brighten  her  summer  just  about  99  per  cent. 
on  a  hole  in  the  ground,  six  feet  long  and  eight 
feet  wide!  Another  plant  lover  had  to  fight 
against  a  brick  paving  and  won  out  by  making 
portable  flower  beds  from  boxes  and  old  tin  kettles! 
Think  of  the  householder  who  used  the  winter's 
accumulation  of  ashes  to  fill  up  a  ravine  back  of 
his  house,  then,  in  the  quarter- acre  of  soil  on  top, 
raised  $100  worth  of  vegetables.  There  are  a 
good  many  such  cases,  bits  of  which  I  shall  cite 
now  and  then  later  on,  but  of  which  the  whole 
story  has  been  saved  every  time,  with  a  record  of 
the  actual  cost,  the  exact  returns,  and  even,  at 
times,  the  number  of  minutes  spent  each  day, 
cultivating,  watering  —  and  harvesting  the  crops. 

Another  objection  that  you  may  try  to  raise  is 
that  you've  "never  done  any  gardening."  Per- 
haps, in  your  frankness,  you  will  declare  that  you 
don't  even  know  how  vegetables  look,  growing, 
nor  when  you  ought  to  pick  them.  Well,  that  was 
the  way  with  some  of  the  others,  and  they  sue- 


6  GARDEN  PROFITS 

ceeded.  Moreover,  in  the  following  pages  you 
will  find  a  detailed  account  of  the  work  that  should 
be  done  every  month  in  the  year,  where  to  do  it, 
how  to  do  it,  and  what  to  do  it  with.  We  have 
been  gathering  information  and  data  from  complete 
accounts,  also  discovering  labor-and-time-saving 
methods,  with  this  book  in  mind.  If  you  keep 
these  directions  before  you,  you  will  be  able  to 
see  at  a  glance  just  what  is  to  be  done,  and  the 
quickest  and  best  way  to  do  it.  And  you  can 
dig  money  out  of  your  backyard! 

INTENSIVE    VS.    EXTENSIVE    CULTURE 

There  is,  in  the  records  of  gardening  experiences, 
to  which  I  refer,  not  only  optimistic  reference  to 
success  under  seeming  difficulties,  but  also  the 
foundation  of  actual  sound  agricultural  and  eco- 
nomic principles.  Intensive  cultivation  has  been 
heralded  as  the  coming  salvation  of  the  agriculture 
of  the  crowded  East.  There  is  not  a  little  to  be 
said  in  its  favor. 

Intensive  cultivation  is  the  practice  of  working 
all  the  land  all  the  time;  making  every  inch  play 
its  part,  and  letting  no  space  remain  uncropped. 
This  is  accomplished  by:  (a)  succession  planting, 
(b)  companion  planting,  (c)  training,  and  (d)  the 
growth  of  green  manure  crops  when  nothing  else 
can  be  cultivated.  It  is  the  logical  means  of  mak- 
ing the  land  permanently  fertile,  which  in  one  form 
or  another  is  practiced  on  every  successful  farm  of 
whatever  size. 


THE  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME          7 

THE   DANGER   OF   UNDERCAPITALIZATION 

One  of  the  commonest  reasons  for  failure  in 
farming  is  undercapitalization.  With  insufficient 
capital  the  farmer  is  compelled  to  buy  on  credit  — 
paying,  thereby,  perhaps  50  per  cent,  more  than  the 
market  price;  he  has  too  few  tools,  too  little  stock, 
and  is  forced  to  merely  half-work  his  land  — 
which  is  practically  as  expensive  and  only  about 
one-fourth  as  profitable  as  thoroughness.  The  avail- 
able capital  may  be  used  up  on  one  crop  of  potatoes, 
corn  or  fruit,  while  many  other  acres  of  good  land 
must  be  left  idle  —  probably  without  even  the 
beneficial  effects  of  fallowing  provided  for  by  pre- 
vious plowing. 

Of  course  the  amount  of  money  representing 
undercapitalization  is  entirely  relative,  depending 
on  the  size  and  nature  of  the  farm  or  garden.  But 
here  is  the  very  backbone  of  the  matter  —  the 
smaller  the  (farm  or)  garden,  the  smaller  the  prob- 
ability of  undercapitalization,  and,  as  a  result,  the 
greater  the  relative  returns.  A  half-acre  garden, 
given  intensive,  continuous  care  will  prove  more 
profitable  than  several  acres  only  partially  cropped. 

It  will  be  possible  to  keep  every  foot  at  work, 
for  there  will  not  be  the  necessity  of  waiting  for 
a  whole  crop,  occupying  one  or  more  acres,  to  be 
removed,  before  another  can  be  sown.  In  the 
small  garden,  where  vegetables  are  grown  in  rows, 
one  planting  —  representing  at  most  three  or  four 
rows  —  can  be  harvested,  the  ground  manured 
and  cultivated,  and  another  crop  planted,  all  in  one 
day,  with  not  an  hour's  delay.  Or,  more  in- 


8  GARDEN  PROFITS 

tensive  still,  as  quick  as  one  carrot,  head  of  lettuce 
or  cabbage  is  removed,  another  can  be  trans- 
planted from  the  hotbed  or  frame,  so  that  the  soil 
will  actually  never  be  idle.  In  a  small  garden, 
the  work  will  be  personal,  individual;  every  detail 
will  be  within  reach,  and  the  facility  for  observation 
and  experiment,  essentials  to  success,  will  be  con- 
centrated, localized,  increased  to  the  maximum. 
The  labor  item  is  extremely  important,  for  with 
intensive  cultivation  or  market  gardening  in  mind, 
the  necessary  number  of  men  and  teams  per  acre 
increases  entirely  out  of  proportion  to  the  acreage 
involved. 

Finally,  the  matter  of  yields  and  profits  is  closely 
associated  with  the  amount  of  land  tilled.  Theoret- 
ically the  statement  is  true,  that  if  half  an  acre 
will  yield  250  bushels  of  potatoes,  ten  acres  will 
yield  5,000  bushels.  But  this  result  requires  that 
the  soil  and  moisture  conditions,  the  fertilizing, 
spraying  and  care,  increase  proportionately.  In 
most  cases  this  is  impossible.  It  is  compara- 
tively simple  to  spade  five  or  more  tons  of  manure 
into  half  an  acre,  and  be  able  to  feel  that  the  soil 
is  in  perfect  tilth;  it  is  another  thing  to  apply  100 
tons  to  10  acres  and  bring  the  land  to  exactly  as 
good  condition.  Five  hundred  and  forty  square 
feet  of  garden  were  cared  for  by  a  business  man  in 
his  free  moments,  and  with  a  cash  outlay  of  $1.15, 
yielded  $14.50  worth  of  vegetables.  This  is  over 
1200%,  and  a  fact!  It  is  difficult,  if  not  absurd 
to  think  of  a  1200%  profit  from  even  a  two-acre 
farm. 


THE  SELF-SUPPORTING  HOME          9 

THE  CONSUMER  COMING  INTO  HIS  OWN 

It  is  time  that  the  consumer  were  given  advice 
that  will  enable  him  to  reduce  his  expenses.  The 
doctrine  now  being  preached  to  the  farmer  urges 
high-quality  crops,  advertising,  high-class  trade  and 
private  markets,  whereby  the  high  prices  that  the 
city  people  are  willing  to  pay,  need  not  be  divided 
(equally?)  with  the  various  middlemen.  Our  mes- 
sage is  straight  to  those  city  and  suburban  consumers 
themselves,  thatthey neednot  pay  the  high  price  to  any- 
one, and  can  at  the  same  time  obtain  better  food  and 
often  pay  themselves  a  cash  profit,  by  getting  a  large 
part  of  their  living  directly  from  the  ground. 

As  far  back  as  1866  Peter  Henderson  stated 
that  "the  consumer  pays  twice  the  price  the  raiser 
receives."  Don't  you  appreciate  the  advantage 
of  being  both  consumer  and  producer?  This  sounds 
radical,  perhaps;  as  if  we  were  levelling  hopes  of 
destruction  at  the  practical  farmer  and  market 
gardener.  However,  neither  is  this  our  attitude, 
nor  would  it  be  the  result.  The  stage  of  over- 
production of  food-stuffs  has  not  yet  been  reached, 
nor  is  it  likely  soon  to  be,  and  there  is  no  danger  that 
there  will  not  remain  the  necessary  consumers —  who 
are  contented  to  remain  as  such  —  to  make  market- 
gardening  profitable.  To  these  we  do  not  urge  these 
methods,  this  system  of  home-profit  making,  but 
rather  to  those  who  are  ambitious  for  something 
more;  who  want  fresh,  palatable  vegetables  and  fruits, 
and  the  minimum  expense  in  procuring  them;  who 
love  the  out-of-doors;  who  will  find  pleasure  as  well 
as  profit  in  pursuing  the  oldest  activity  in  the  world. 


II 

MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD 

I  MIGHT  already  have  said  that  this  is 
not  to  be  the  ordinary  kind  of  "garden 
manual "  for  the  amateur.  Such  texts 
often  remind  me  of  the  criticism  raised 
by  the  housekeeper  of  moderate  means, 
upon  reading  a  comprehensive  cookbook.  "It's 
all  very  well,"  she  said,  "for  them  to  direct 
you  to  'take  a  tender,  two-inch  beefsteak/  or 
'prepare  a  fat,  young  broiler,'  or  'beat  up  the 
whites  of  eight  eggs,'  but  in  these  days  of  five- 
cent  eggs  and  two-dollar  chickens,  it  would  be  much 
more  to  the  point  if  they  told  you  where  you  were  to 
'take'  them  from."  In  the  same  way,  I  always  feel 
a  desire  to  ask  the  author  of  a  treatise  on  fruit- 
growing, who  starts  off  with  "in  planning  for  a 
home  orchard,  choose  a  slightly  rolling,  well-drained 
area,  preferably  sloping  to  the  south,  with  a  deep, 
loose  soil  not  too  heavy,  underlaid  by  a  gravelly 
clay  subsoil,  and  within  easy  hauling  distance  of 
the  barnyard  and  railroad" —  I  always  want,  I 
say,  to  ask  him  what  we  are  going  to  do  if  such  a 
piece  of  land  is  not  on  our  farm  to  choose,  or  whether 
we  had  not  better  take  our  neighbor's  front  lawn, 
which  seems  to  answer  the  requirements.  In  a  very 


MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD  11 

few  cases  it  might  be  justifiable  to  advise  not  setting 
the  orchard  at  all.  But  in  general  I  would  say,  as 
I  do  to  the  owner  of  a  somnolent  backyard  "Go 
ahead  anyway,  start  your  garden  as  if  every  condi- 
tion were  favorable,  and  at  the  same  time  do  every- 
thing you  can  to  better  conditions  and  to  plan  your 
work  so  that  you  gradually  improve  the  soil,  your 
health,  your  financial  condition  and  your  self-respect 
simultaneously." 

That  there  is  some  chance  of  your  benefiting  from 
such  advice  is  pretty  definitely  proven  by  the  ex- 
perience of  a  real  amateur  who  realized  some  ideals 
in  spite  of  unattractive  conditions.  Her  own  words 
tell  an  interesting  and  encouraging  story. 


HOW  TO  MAKE  TWENTY-FOUR  TOMATO  PLANTS 
HAND    YOU    #5O 

"In  a  plot  less  than  25  feet  square,  bounded  by 
careless,  scoffing  neighbors,  where  scrawny  chickens 
scratched  by  day  and  tomcats  yowled  by  night, 
with  an  eternal  prospect  of  unkempt  and  barren 
backyards  whichever  way  you  looked,  I  determined 
to  create  a  paradise. 

"After  dragging  along,  content  with  the  mere 
suggestion  of  a  garden,  for  four  years,  during  which 
time  I  dug  and  raked  in  the  most  intractable  heavy 
clay  which  even  now  is  so  hard  in  the  dry  time  that 
it  scarcely  notices  the  onslaught  of  pick  and  shovel, 
I  determined  to  make  the  season  of  1909  bring  forth 
my  paradise.  In  the  spring  as  soon  as  the  frost 
was  out  of  the  ground  I  dug  to  the  depth  of  one  and 


12  GARDEN  PROFITS 

a  half  feet,  left  it  to  dry  out  for  two  days  and  then 
battered  down  the  hard  lumps  and  secured  a  fair 
seed-bed.  I  dug  in  the  cinders  from  two  tons  of 
hard  coal,  and  a  large  load  of  well-rotted  leaf  mold. 
Our  planting  time  is  three  to  four  weeks  later  than 
it  is  in  the  Eastern  states.  I  planted  my  sweet 
peas  about  the  first  of  May,  and  the  other  seeds  in 
season. 

"Around  the  entire  plot  I  planted  a  row  of  large 
Russian  sunflowers.  Next  to  these  and  one  foot 
away  I  had  previously  dropped  a  row  of  sweet  peas. 
In  the  centre  of  the  plot  were  two  clumps  of  runner 
beans  and  around  each  clump  were  several  clumps 
of  sweet  peas.  Then,  without  regard  to  the  arrange- 
ment, I  transplanted  here  and  there  tomatoes, 
pansies,  stocks,  petunias,  verbenas,  etc.,  allowing 
them  morning  sun  and  afternoon  shade,  according 
to  requirement.  Nothing  failed.  I  trained  every- 
thing upward, using  tall  stakes  and  twine  for  support. 
During  the  first  week  in  September  I  had  19  Earli- 
ana  tomato  plants  6  feet  high;  6  Plum  tomato  plants 
7  feet  high  (all  with  luscious  bunches  of  ripe  fruit); 
sweet  peas,  12  feet  high;  runner  beans  nearly  20 
feet  long,  running  criss-cross  overhead  with  great 
clusters  of  pods;  cucumber  vines  climbing  upward 
and  fully  fruited,  8  feet  high;  and  the  greatest 
profusion  of  flowers,  which  seemed  to  thrive  in  the 
shade  of  the  taller  vegetation,  all  surrounded  by 
the  sunflowers,  some  of  which  measured  16  feet  to 
the  flower.  From  the  19  Earliana  tomato  plants 
up  to  September  23,  when  the  first  hard  frost  came, 
I  plucked  250  pounds  of  fruit  of  a  superb  quality. 


Training  the  tomato  plants  to  a  single 
stem  on  a  single  pole  saves  valuable 
space,  increases  the  size,  and  improves 
the  quality  of  the  fruit  considerably 

13 


i4  GARDEN  PROFITS 

I  kept  no  account  of  anything  save  the  tomatoes. 
Of  these  there  was  not  a  single  spoiled  or  mis- 
shapen fruit.  If  I  had  been  disposed  to  sell  them  all 
I  should  have  had  no  difficulty  in  securing  20  cents 
a  pound  for  them. 

DOES  HOEING  PAY?      WELL,  RATHER! 

"These  results  were  achieved  partly  by  the 
exceptional  length  of  the  season.  But  I  think  that 
the  main  reason  for  such  splendid  growth  was  the 
fact  that  the  entire  plot  was  hoed  every  day  during 
the  early  part  of  the  season  and  often  in  the  latter 
part.  I  gave  frequent  irrigation  with  water  that 
had  passed  through  a  leach  of  horse  manure  into 
which  was  thrown  every  three  weeks  a  handful  of 
sodium  nitrate,  about  two  pounds  in  all,  at  a  cost  of 
12  cents,  the  water  being  applied  plentifully  to  the 
soil  between  the  rows,  and  not  immediately  around 
the  roots.  In  this  way  the  roots  were  encouraged 
to  reach  out." 

Note  the  financial  possibilities  involved.  Two 
hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  tomatoes  worth,  at 
her  own  estimate,  $50.00  (not  to  put  any  price  on 
the  culls  and  unripe  fruit),  from  two  dozen  vines! 
And  then  there  were  the  flowers,  which,  to  many 
a  gardener,  would  have  paid  for  the  comparatively 
small  amount  of  labor  needed  to  hoe  the  whole 
25-foot  bed  every  day. 

WHAT  A  GARDEN  DID  FOR  AN  INVALID 

Another  garden  that  developed  from  an  unsightly 
backyard,  required  an  attack  of  ptomaine  poison- 


MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD  15 

ing,  brought  on  by  store  vegetables,  to  start  it  —  an 
impetus  that  I  trust  is  not  needed  by  many.  But 
the  effort  succeeded  and  so  did  the  garden.  It 
consisted  of  about  a  quarter  of  an  acre  and  the  deso- 
late appearance  of  "a  waste  of  yellow  sand  with  a 
ditch  to  be  filled  in  and  a  conglomeration  of  tin  cans 
and  debris  to  be  disposed  of"  almost  discouraged 
the  prospective  tillers  of  the  soil.  However,  in 
the  spring,  they  used  the  winter's  furnace  ashes 
to  fill  in  the  ravine,  dug  and  leveled  the  garden, 
and  wheeled  in  several  barrow  loads  of  manure. 
They  prepared  a  fine  seed-bed  nine  feet  wide  the 
length  of  the  garden,  and  in  it  grew  seedlings  for 
later  transplanting;  they  planted  corn  lengthwise 
through  the  garden,  between  rows  of  other  crops, 
and  kept  about  them  a  loose  dust  mulch.  Later 
they  used  the  same  space  still  further  by  sowing 
squash  among  the  hills  of  corn.  The  result  was  an 
abundance  of  vegetables,  sweet  peas  and  other  cut 
flowers,  as  well  as  both  vegetable  and  flower  plants 
to  sell.  Their  assets  were  as  follows: 
Peas  .  .  . 
Beans  . 
Corn  .  .  . 
Tomatoes 
Cucumbers . 
Other  vegetables 
Value  of  flowers 
Cabbage  plants 
Various  plants  sold 

2,000  pansy  plants  in  stock  for  spring  sale 
Forget-me-not  plants  in  stock  for  spring  sale 
Sweet  William  plants  in  stock  for  spring  sale 
Winter  onions  for  early  spring        .... 


Total $113.50 


16  GARDEN  PROFITS 

—  with  only  three  dollars  and  a  half  for  seeds,  etc., 
as  the  cash  outlay! 

Such  results  as  these  are  worth  working  for.  You, 
too,  can  obtain  them  if  you  really  set  your  mind 
on  it.  So  I  am  going  to  give  you  all  the  assistance 
I  can  in  the  way  of  hints  and  instruction  whereby 
you  can  get  the  best  and  the  most  from  small  spaces. 
If  some  of  the  schemes  don't  seem  exactly  to  fit 
your  garden,  you  can  use  them  as  hints,  and  evolve 
something  along  the  same  line  to  fit  your  own 
needs. 


A  NEW  KIND  OF  ECONOMY  IN  THE  GARDEN 

On  a  small  lot  —  especially  a  city  place,  try  not 
to  waste  anything.  Unless  your  street  is  sprinkled 
with  oil,  gather  up  the  sweepings  and  the  leaves 
from  your  neighborhood,  and  compost  them  (that 
is  to  say  "compose  a  mixture")  with  other  manure, 
if  you  can  get  it,  the  waste  from  the  garden,  and 
even  table  waste,  which  will  not  prove  at  all  offensive 
if  kept  covered.  Furnace  and  stove  ashes,  when 
sifted  clear  of  clinkers,  can  be  used  to  lighten  the 
garden  soil — especially  if  it  is  of  the  heavy  clay  type. 

PLANT  EARLY  AND  SMILE  AT  YOUR  NEIGHBORS 

In  any  garden,  plant  a  little  earlier  and  a  little 
later  than  is  recommended  —  general  directions 
have  to  be  merely  averages  which  successive  sea- 
sons often  are  not.  So  take  advantage  of  the 
favorable  conditions,  and  in  a  good  many  instances 


MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD  17 

you  will  win  out  with  a  lot  to  spare.  One  inde- 
pendent gardener  reports  having  planted  four 
2O-foot  rows  of  corn,  on  July  22,  in  the  face 
of  discouraging  opposition  of  all  her  friends.  As 
"fortune  favors  the  brave"  (and  the  industrious) 
the  weather  was  warm  and  damp,  and  effectively 
supplemented  the  regular  use  of  the  wheel  hoe.  On 
September  22,  nine  ears  were  picked.  By  October 
19,  ninteen  dozen  had  been  gathered,  representing 
at  that  late  season,  at  least  $4.00.  The  seed  had 
cost  10  cents,  the  labor  was  limited  to  a  few  minutes 
each  day,  and  yet  the  cautious  neighbors  had  not 
been  able  to  see  the  sense  of  running  the  risk  of  los- 
ing the  seed! 

THE  VERSATILE  HOTBED 

Of  course,  the  great  means  for  securing  early 
vegetables  is  the  hotbed  and  I  hope  that  if  you 
haven't  one  already,  you  will  refuse  to  let  another 
spring  find  you  in  the  same  fix.  The  hotbed  is  a 


This  "handy  hotbed" 
is  heated  and  cared  for 
through  the  cellar  window 


permanent  asset.  Its  cost  of  maintenance  is  limited 
to  the  manure  used  in  it  once  a  year,  and  replacing 
whatever  glass  is  broken  by  carelessness;  and  it 
can  be  kept  busy  all  the  year  round.  In  the  spring 


1 8  GARDEN  PROFITS 

it  is  a  seed-bed  for  early  plants;  during  the  later 
months  for  particularly  tender  sorts,  or  the  fall 
ripening  varieties;  all  through  the  summer  for 
raising  succession  crops,  or  such  moisture-loving 
plants  as  lettuce,  which  can  be  kept  watered  and 
shaded  if  necessary;  in  the  fall,  for  lengthening  the 
season  for  the  less  bulky  plants,  and  for  the  grow- 
ing of  cabbage,  roots,  etc.,  for  winter  use;  in  winter, 
your  exhausted  hotbed  becomes  a  cold  frame,  where 
parsley,  violets,  kale,  etc.,  etc.,  can  be  grown  for 
a  continuous  supply  till  the  time  comes  to  once 
more  start  the  hot  manure. 


GROWING  PLANTS  IN  A  CHICKEN  BROODER 

A  simple  method  for  building  the  hotbed  is  given 
in  the  next  chapter  (page  107),  but  a  certain  re- 
sourceful amateur  made  use  of  an  old,  discarded 
chicken  brooder,  and  obtained  excellent  results 
with  a  very  little  outlay.  For  the  heater,  he  used 
a  common  kerosene  lamp,  which  he  operated 
through  a  cellar  window.  The  brooder  was  set 
against  the  house,  outside  this  window,  on  top  of 
a  square  frame  which  raised  the  heating  drum  above 
the  lamp  chimney,  and  which  was  banked  up  with 
earth,  to  prevent  the  loss  of  heat.  Around  the 
heating  drum,  which  resembled  an  inverted  pan 
with  holes  in  the  sides,  and  half  an  inch  from  it,  was 
fixed  a  strip  of  tin  4  inches  high.  The  earth  filled 
the  space  outside  this  tin  "fence,"  and  the  one- 
half  inch  space  allowed  for  the  escape  of  the  heated 
air.  Even  the  surface  space  of  the  drum  was  not 


MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD          19 

wasted,  for  cigar-box  flats,  in  which  tender  seeds 
were  sowed,  were  placed  directly  on  the  pan.  By 
throwing  old  carpets  and  matting  over  the  sash 
(which  also  was  a  rescued  outcast  from  an  old 
window)  a  temperature  of  at  least  60°  was  main- 
tained at  all  times  —  even  when  down  to  zero 
outside,  as  it  was  several  times  after  the  first  seeds 
were  started  on  February  15.  The  total  cost  of 
construction  and  maintenance  (oil)  for  that  spring 
was  $4.25,  whereas  the  originator  of  the  scheme 
netted  over  $12  worth  of  plants.  No  reason  at  all 
why  you  could  not  do  just  as  well  —  or  better. 

HOTBED  RESULTS  —  WITHOUT  A  HOTBED 

Another  simple  means  of  hurrying  crops  is  to 
grow  them  in  flat  boxes,  in  the  kitchen,  or  in  any 
sunny  window  of  the  house,  where  the  temperature 
will  not  go  below  60°.  I  have  the  record  of  a  corn 
lover,  who  obtained  ripe  ears  on  June  20  by  plant- 
ing seed  in  boxes  indoors  on  April  20,  and  trans- 
planting to  ground  that  had  been  well  enriched 
with  manure  and  wood  ashes,  when  the  days  be- 
came warm. 

There  are  countless  little  wrinkles  for  hurry- 
ing along  individual  plants.  For  instance,  beans 
planted  with  the  eyes  down  will  make  a  quicker 
growth  —  other  conditions  being  equal — than  others. 

HOW  TO  GROW  VEGETABLES  BEFORE  YOU 
PLANT  THEM 

Potatoes,  corn,  carrots  and  probably  other  seeds 
can  be  sprouted  before  they  are  planted  at  all, 


20  GARDEN  PROFITS 

being  given  thereby  a  tremendous  start.  The 
remarkable  record  of  potatoes  in  seven  weeks  from 
sowing  was  made  in  this  manner.  A  bushel  of 
tubers  which  had  developed  half-inch  sprouts  was 


These  potatoes  are  in  just  the  right 
condition  for  careful  planting.  Be  sure 
not  to  knock  off  the  sprouts 

brought -up  from 'the  cellar  and  spread  on  -trays 
in  a  light  room  .where  the  -temperature'  could  -be 
maintained  between  40  and,  65  degrees.  The 
sprouts  did  not  increase-  in  length,  hut,  with  the 
surface  of  the  tubers,  took  on*  a-  greenish-bronze 
appearance.  On  April  18,  the  seed,  was  carefully 
planted  in  a  light -sandy  loam,  a  pint  of  mixed  hen 
manure  and  ashes  being  applied  to  each  hill.  The 
yield  was  15  bushels  in  seven  weeks! 

When  sprouting  potatoes,  do  not  let  the  shoots 
grow  more  than  an  inch  long,  and  take  care  not  to 
break  them  in  planting.  But  surely,  in  a  small 
garden,  whatever  may  be  lacking  in  skill  or  ex- 
perience, of  care  there  should  be  and  can  be  an 
abundant  supply  always  on  hand. 

You  can  treat  corn  the  same  way,  if  you  handle 
the  sprouted  grains  like  seedlings,  and  set  them 
carefully  in  an  upright  position.  The  sprouting 


MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD          21 

of  carrot  seed  before  sowing,  on  rather  a  larger 
scale,  is  regularly  done  by  a  successful  Long  Island 
farmer. 


MODERN    SUCCESS  —  WITH    OLD-FASHIONED 
METHODS 

Probably  you  are  familiar  already  with  the  soak- 
ing of  the  sweet  pea,  nasturtium,  and  other  flower 
seeds,  by  which  means  our  grandmothers  used  to 
get  those  beautiful,  all-season  effects.  Why  don't 
you  adapt  the  trick  to  your  vegetable  seeds?  Peas, 
beans  of  all  kinds,  squash,  melon  and  cucumber 
seeds  —  all  these  are  adapted  to  this  kind  of  per- 
suasion. I  have  noticed  nearly  a  week's  difference 
between  the  germination  of  soaked  and  unsoaked 
seeds  —  and  anyone  who  has  practiced  this  will 
doubtless  tell  you  the  same  story. 


Sprout  potatoes  in  trays  like  this  and  they  can 
be  carried  to  the  garden  Tvithout  being  knocked 
about  or  having  the  sprouts  broken  off 

By  the  way,  while  I  am  on  this  subject  of  seeds, 
let  me  emphasize  again  the  importance  of  good 
—  of  the  best  seed.  Look  for  it;  buy  it;  pay  will- 
ingly -for  it,  then  give  it  the  treatment  it  deserves. 


22  GARDEN  PROFITS 

Particularly  is  this  the  case  with  seed  you  are  able 
to  save  from  one  season's  garden  for  the  next.  If 
you  have  an  especially  delicious  variety  of  corn, 
and  want  to  be  sure  of  the  same  thing  next  year, 
pick  out  a  hill,  and  let  the  ears  mature,  that  is, 
become  hard  and  flinty.  But  don't  choose  a  measly, 
weak  little  hill  from  which  you  "don't  want  the 
ears  anyway,"  and  on  which  they  are  short,  irregular 
only  partly  filled  out.  Choose  the  best  hill  you  can 
find,  and  from  it  the  finest  pair  of  ears  —  large  and 
full,  covered  with  fat  kernels  all  the  way  to  the  tip, 
and  right  up  to  the  butt. 

THE  "BEST"  POTATO,  AND  HOW  TO  OBTAIN  IT 

Similarly  with  potatoes.  Save  your  ideal  of 
potatoes  for  seed  —  or  as  near  as  you  can  get  to  it. 
It  may  cut  you  down  a  meal  or  so  this  year,  but  you 
will  get  that  one  back,  and  a  good  many  extra  ones 
besides,  next  season.  If  you  are  raising  your  own 
potatoes,  go  further  than  just  a  good  tuber — 
choose  the  best,  most  productive  hills  for  the  seed 
supply.  That  is,  the  hills  which  give  you  the 
largest  number  of  the  best  potatoes.  I  don't  mean, 
as  so  many  misinterpret  it,  the  hill  that  gives  you 
two  whopping  big  fellows  —  over  a  pound  apiece — 
and  nothing  else;  nor  the  one  with  fifteen  or  twenty 
little  spudlets  an  inch  in  diameter  —  very  pretty 
to  look  at,  but  which  have  to  be  boiled  (and  eaten 
usually)  with  the  jackets  on.  The  "best  hill" 
yields  several — perhaps  six,  possibly  ten — smooth, 
medium-sized  tubers,  the  kind  that  boil  evenly 


MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD          23 

all  through;  that  the  cook  can  peel  in  a  jiffy;  that 
buttered  and  salted  are  so  almighty  good  that  you 
refuse  to  remember  what  some  one  told  you  about 
"potatoes  being  so  fattening."  That  kind  repro- 
duces itself  just  as  well,  and  just  as  easily  as  the 
inferior  ones  and  if  you  don't  prefer  it,  well  —  you 
haven't  got  the  stuff  in  you  to  make  a  gardener 
or  anything  else. 

IT'S  NEVER  TOO  LATE  TO  GARDEN 

One  more  example  of  the  late  season  gardening 
occurs  to  me.  Most  people  would  give  up  all  hopes 
of  fresh  vegetables,  if  the  ground  hadn't  been  broken 
by  July.  But  the  people  I  have  in  mind  didn't 
look  at  it  that  way,  and  the  following  is  the  tale  of 
what  they  did.  Keep  this  case  in  mind  if  you  ever 
have  to  move  in  the  springtime.  A  little  gardening 
when  you  are  located  in  your  new  home,  will  prove 
a  change  from  "getting  settled"  indoors,  anyway; 
also  from  paying  grocer's  bills. 


A  GARDEN  PLANTED  AFTER  THE  FOURTH  OF  JULY 

"I  have  had  great  success  in  the  vegetable  patch 
when  not  a  thing  was  planted  before  the  Fourth  of 
July.  These  kinds  of  vegetables  have  more  than 
paid  for  the  risk  of  late  planting:  cucumbers,  squash, 
carrots,  corn,  lettuce,  bush  Limas,  pole  string  beans, 
parsley,  radishes  and  wax  beans.  Others  that 
give  fairly  good  results  are,  pole  Limas,  tomatoes, 
potatoes,  beets  and  kohlrabi. 


24  GARDEN  PROFITS 

Kinds  to  plant  for  crops.  "The  ever  useful  Hen- 
derson bush  Lima  bean  yielded  a  very  good  crop. 
The  sowing  of  July  6  gave  full-sized  beans  the  third 
week  in  September,  and  picking  continued  until 
the  end  of  October,  at  which  time  the  plants  were 
destroyed  by  frost.  These  beans  are  not  as  choice 
as  the  pole  Limas,  but  I  reserve  a  space  for  them  in 
the  garden  each  year,  because  they  are  so  much 
earlier  and  hardier  and  less  trouble  to  care  for, 
besides  being  very  prolific. 

"After  the  pole  Limas  are  in  bearing,  the  bush 
Limas  are  used  for  either  succotash,  or,  dried,  for 
winter  use. 

"Cucumbers  take  kindly  to  midsummer  planting, 
and  make  a  good  growth  during  the  cool  weather 
of  early  fall.  The  sowing  of  Japanese  climbing 
cucumber  made  July  5  began  bearing  the  last  week 
in  August,  and  gave  us  a  continuous  supply  until 
the  second  week  in  October,  when  the  frosty  nights 
killed  them.  They  would  have  borne  still  longer 
if  frost  had  held  off,  as  they  were  in  good  growing 
condition  at  that  date. 

"A  planting  made  July  5,  of  crookneck  squash, 
bore  during  late  summer  and  early  fall,  and  more 
than  justified  so  tardy  a  start. 

"A  safe  crop  to  sow  at  any  time  during  July  is 
carrots.  The  roots  do  not  need  time  to  mature 
before  cold  weather  as  they  are  excellent  for  the 
table  when  young  and  tender  —  the  younger  the 
better,  indeed  —  before  they  reach  full  growth. 
Ours  were  sowed  July  6,  and  we  began  to  pull  them 
the  latter  part  of  September.  The  second  week  in 


MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD  25 

November  found  them  apparently  unharmed  by 
several  sharp  frosts  that  had  killed  the  tender 
vegetables. 

"One  of  the  best  vegetables  for  July  planting 
is  wax  beans.  The  sowing  of  July  6  was  in 
bearing  by  the  third  week  in  August,  and  the 
beans  were  better  and  larger  than  those  from 
earlier  sowings  from  the  same  lot  of  seed.  Pick- 
ings were  made  at  intervals,  until  the  first  week 
in  October.  Two  weeks  later  they  began  with  a 
second  crop  of  blossoms  and  beans,  but  were  cut 
off  by  frost. 

"Radishes,  of  course,  can  be  planted  in  July 
and  later,  even  in  September.  Our  July  6  planting 
was  ready  to  eat  in  less  than  a  month. 

"We  had  not  more  sweet  or  tender  corn  from  any 
of  our  eight  sowings  than  that  from  an  extra  early 
sort  sowed  July  5.  A  twenty-five  foot  row  gave  us 
forty-five  ears,  the  bearing  season  lasting  from  the 
last  week  in  September  to  the  first  week  in 
October. 

"Pole  string  beans,  Lazy  Wife,  planted  July  7 
had  time  to  become  even  too  large  before  the  end 
of  the  season. 

"Good-sized  plants  of  parsley  were  had  in  Octo- 
ber from  seed  sown  July  6.  The  plants  were  in 
excellent  shape  to  pot  for  growing  in  the  house 
during  the  winter. 

"A  most  convenient  plant  for  late  sowing  is 
lettuce,  as  it  will  bear  twenty  degrees  of  frost,  and 
not  be  killed.  Last  year  I  was  still  using  full-sized 
heads  from  the  open  ground,  for  more  than  two 


26  GARDEN  PROFITS 

weeks  after  all  the  tender  vegetables  had  been  killed 
by  frost. 

"At  a  venture  I  tried  a  July  planting  of  potatoes, 
an  extra  early  variety  being  planted  the  third  week 
in  July.  The  vine  made  a  growth  of  three  feet, 
and  late  in  October  the  crop  was  dug,  two  potatoes 
that  measured  two  and  one-half  inches  in  length. 
This  was  not  a  very  profitable  yield,  but  it  was 
interesting  as  an  experiment. 

"Near  a  stout,  tall  castor  bean  that  served  as 
a  bean  pole,  some  pole  Lima  beans  were  plantd  on 
July  5.  The  vines  attained  a  length  of  eight  feet, 
and  bore  full-sized  beans  before  frost  caught  them, 
but  as  a  regular  crop  I  should  not  advise  plant- 
ing them  later  than  the  middle  of  June,  as  they  are 
very  sensitive  to  frost,  and  do  not  have  a  chance 
to  give  a  bearing  season  of  any  length,  if  sowed  too 
late. 

"For  a  family  that  enjoys  pickles,  even  tomatoes 
are  worth  while  sowing  after  Fourth  of  July.  My 
seed  was  planted  July  5,  and,  of  course,  the  earliest 
variety  obtainable  was  used.  In  spite  of  the  hand- 
icap of  transplanting,  I  had  green  tomatoes  in 
October  that  measured  over  eight  inches  in  cir- 
cumference, surely  large  enough  for  pickles. 

"For  winter  use,  beets  are  sowed  in  June,  so  the 
July  7  planting  did  not  yield  full-sized  roots,  still 
young  and  tender  beets  are  the  best  of  all  and  even 
very  small  ones  make  a  good  dish  cooked  with  the 
leaves  as  greens. 

"Kohlrabi  is  supposed  to  be  one  of  the  best 
vegetables  for  late  sowing,  but  mine  were  not  started 


MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD          27 

soon  enough.  July  20  did  not  give  the  bulbs  time 
to  form  before  the  growing  season  was  over.  Next 
time  I  shall  sow  them  the  first  of  July. 

A  Cultural  Necessity.  "An  important  element 
of  success  in  July  sowings  is  pressing  the  soil  into 
close  contact  with  the  planted  seeds.  This  is  essential, 
for  it  causes  the  young  plants  to  come  up  promptly, 
regularly,  vigorously  and  straight,  instead  of  feebly, 
unevenly  and  slowly,  or  else  not  at  all,  as  often 
happens  in  midsummer  when  the  soil  is  left  loose 
and  dry  above  the  plantings.  The  later  growth 
and  even  the  maturity  of  the  crop  also  share  in 
the  good  effects.  The  seedlings  get  a  good  start 
before  the  weed-seeds,  in  the  unrolled  soil  between 
the  rows,  have  sprouted,  so  that  the  germinating 
vegetables  can  be  cultivated  before  the  weeds 
gain  a  foothold.  In  moist  or  heavy  soils,  or  in  early 
spring  or  late  fall,  when  rains  are  probable,  and  the 
atmosphere  is  cool,  this  pressing  of  the  soil  is  not 
so  necessary,  but  in  the  loose,  dry,  crumbly  soil, 
in  which  most  of  our  summer  planting  must  be  done, 
it  is  important  to  firm  every  inch  of  soil  above  the 
seeds.  It  is  not  necessary  to  firm  more  than  a 
narrow  strip,  except  in  the  case  of  broadcast  sowing. 
After  firming,  lightly  scratch  the  surface  with  a  rake 
to  form  a  'mulch'  which  helps  to  retain  moisture 
and  to  prevent  the  formation  of  a  crust  through 
which  it  would  be  difficult  for  the  seedlings  to  push 
their  way.  This  principle  applies  to  all  kinds  of 
seeds,  and  to  transplanted  plants,  which  can  thus 
be  protected  from  the  wilting  and  burning  that  so 
often  follow  careless  transplanting,  in  hot,  dry 


28  GARDEN  PROFITS 

weather,  when  the  soil  is  not  properly  firmed.  The 
soil  may  be  pressed  in  various  ways:  with  the  foot, 
throwing  the  whole  weight  at  every  step;  by  pound- 
ing with  the  flat  side  of  a  spade  or  hoe;  with  a  board 
which  may  be  walked  upon  till  the  soil  is  firm; 
or  with  a  roller. 

"Experiments  were  made  to  prove  the  wisdom 
of  firming  the  soil.  Patches  of  celery  and  cabbage 
were  sown,  and  part  of  each  planting  rolled.  Where 
this  was  done  the  crops  were  good,  but  in  the  loose 
soil  not  one  celery  seed  in  a  thousand  germinated,  and 
not  one  in  a  thousand  of  the  cabbage  seed.  Corn  and 
beets,  sowed  the  first  week  in  July,  and  rolled, 
came  up  in  four  days  and  perfected  their  crops 
before  the  season  ended,  while  the  unrolled  ones  took 
twelve  days  to  germinate  and  did  not  mature  before 
frost  checked  their  growth.  In  August  spinach 
and  turnips  were  sown  and  a  portion  rolled.  The 
rolled  portion  came  up  at  once  and  yielded  a  good 
crop  while  that  which  was  not  rolled  burned  up 
because  the  loose  soil  allowed  the  dry  air  to  pene- 
trate to  the  'roots. 

"As  will  be  seen  by  the  table,  a  harvest  of  nearly 
three  months  will  come  from  vegetables  sowed  at 
Fourth  of  July,  beginning  with  squash  and  wax 
beans  about  the  middle  of  August  and  ending  with 
carrots  that  do  not  mind  the  first  frosts  and  can  be 
left  in  the  ground  until  November,  when  the  season 
is  suitable.  Where  I  have  added  the  word  "frost" 
the  vegetables  had  not  run  their  course  and  would 
vhave  continued  bearing  if  the  frost  had  been 
de.layed. 


MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD 


29 


TABLE  OF  FOURTH  OF  JULY  GARDEN 


VEGETABLE 

DATE  PLANTED 

FDZST  PICKING 

LAST  PICKING 

Bush  Limas 

uly    6 

Sept. 

23 

Oct.  30-Frost 

Cucumbers 

uly    5 

Aug. 

29 

Oct.     9-Frost 

Crookneck  Squash 

uly    5 

Aug. 

19 

Oct.  1  1  -Frost 

Carrots 

uly    6 

Sept. 

26 

Nov.  ii 

Wax  Beans 

uly    6 

Aug. 

21 

Oct.  2i-Frost 

Corn 

uly    5 

Sept. 

26 

Oct.     7 

Potato 

uly  21 

Oct. 

30 

Pole  Limas 

uly    5 

Oct. 

21 

Frost 

•"Beside  these  were  six  other  vegetables  for  which 
I  do  not  have  the  exact  dates." 

DISCOVERED!  THE  REAL  US.E  FOR  A  BACK  FENCE! 

A '  good  many  of  your  fellow-gardeners  have 
already  discovered  the  quickening  effect  of  a  wind- 
break on  the  north  side  of  the  garden,  and  so  can 
you,  especially  if  you  live  here  in  the  North.  If 
you  are  farming  a  city  lot,  the  chances  are  that  you 
are  well  protected  by  board  fences,  but  if  not,  don't 
waste  any  time  before  putting  up  some  kind  of  a 
barrier.  Where  there  is  room  to  spare,  a  hedge  of 
evergreens  (arborvitae,  hemlock  or  spruce),  privet, 
or  barberry  will  be  effective  as  well  as  useful,  but 
ordinarily  we  are  not  ready,  in  the  backyard  farm, 
to  grow  shrubs  merely  for  looks.  A  board  fence 
—  or  better,  a  brick  wall  —  is  a  fine  support  for 
trained,  dwarf  fruit  trees,  the  apples,  pears  and 
plums  being  especially  adapted  to  this  north  wall 


GARDEN  PROFITS 


location.  This  treatment  of  tree  fruits  is, 
of  course,  an  abnormal  and  artificial  one.  It 
has  not  yet  become  as  important  in  this  coun- 
try as  in  Europe,  and  on  a  commercial  scale 
is  not  likely  ever  to  be- 
come popular.  But  in  the 
small  home  garden  it  should 
attain  a  unique  and  an 
important  position.  When 
trained  upon  walls,  fruit  trees 
are  pruned  to  a  few  main 
branches,  which  are  fastened 
to  the  support  in  some  sym- 
metrical design.  The  simpler 
the  design,  the  easier  it  is  to 
care  for  the  tree,  since  in  each 
pair  of  balanced  branches, 
each  limb  is  attempting  to 
obtain  the  greater  amount  of 
sap  and  outgrow  the  other. 
If  you  want  the  support  for 
grapes,  you  will  have  to  add 
some  further  trellis  or  frame 
to  which  the  vines  can  be  tied. 
Tomatoes,  too,  are  often  suc- 
cessfully grown  on  trellises. 
In  this  case  the  aim  is  to  per- 
The  clothes  pole  need  mit  plenty  of  sunlight  and  a 
not  be  ugly.  Pole  beans  free  circulation  of  air  about  the 

will  profitably  drape  one         ,  j    r     •         i  i 

arranged  like  this :  nastur-      plants  and  fruits,    hence     the 

tiums.  doiic&os  or  mom-     trellis  should  be  set  away  from 

ing-glories    will    make   it  ,,       ,     MJ.  / 

even  more  beautiful  any  wall  or  building.     Among 


MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD          31 

the  many  excellent  yields  resulting  from  this  sort 
of  treatment,  the  following  case  is  one  of  the  most 
striking: 


ONE  FIFTH    OF    A   TON    OF    TOMATOES    FROM    300 
SQUARE  FEET  OF  GROUND 

The  seed  was  planted  indoors  in  boxes  on  March 
15;  when  two  inches  high  the  seedlings  were 
transplanted  to  2-inch  pots,  the  more  vigorous 
being  later  shifted  to  4-inch  or  5-inch  pots.  On 
May  20  the  first  plants  were  set  out,  and  for  several 
nights  were  kept  covered.  For  supports  there 
were  used  four  rows  of  wire  netting,  20  feet  long, 
3-^  feet  apart,  fastened  to  7-foot  cedar  posts  set 
2-^  feet.  The  netting,  3  feet  wide,  was  fastened 
level  with  the  tops  of  the  posts  and  supported  be- 
tween them  by  three  smaller  intermediate  posts. 
Twenty-five  plants  were  set  along  each  row  of 
netting;  twelve  on  one  side,  thirteen  on  the  other, 
eighteen  inches  apart,  about  four  inches  back  from 
the  wire,  the  plants  alternating  with  those  across 
the  row.  Chalk's  Early  Jewel  and  Ponderosa  were 
used. 


GETTING  ALONG  WITHOUT  MANURE 

No  manure  was  available,  but  cultivation  was 
thorough,  and  Canadian  wood  ashes  were  liberally 
applied.  The  plants  were  set  deep,  with  the  two  lower 
branches  removed,  a  pint  of  wood  ashes  being  mixed 
with  the  soil,  and  the  whole  pressed  down  firmly. 


32  GARDEN  PROFITS 

Tobacco  dust  was  applied  until  they  began  to 
grow  rapidly.  When  the  vines  were  18  inches  high 
the  main  stem  was  tied  loosely  to  the  netting  and 
thereafter  once  a  week  the  vines  were  pruned  and 
tied  up.  No  attempt  was  made  to  confine  the  vines 
to  a  single  stem;  they  were  allowed  to  branch 
moderately  and  fill  the  1 8-inch  space  allotted  to 
each.  In  height  they  grew  about  a  foot  above 
the  top  of  the  netting,  and  then  were  stopped 
by  pruning. 

The  rows  ran  north  and  south,  and  about  half 
the  foliage  was  removed  to  admit  sunlight.  The 
leaves  were  allowed  to  remain  in  the  rows  as  a  mulch. 
After  the  plants  began  to  grow  vigorously  cul- 
tivation was  discontinued  for  fear  of  injuring  the 
root  system.  After  the  last  cultivation  the  space 
between  the  rows  was  covered  with  grass  cuttings 
and  boards,  which  prevented  the  compression  of 
the  soil,  by  walking.  In  times  of  drought  a  gallon 
of  water  per  week  was  given  each  plant,  care  being 
taken  to  wet  as  little  as  possible  of  the  ground 
surface. 

The  crop  was  so  large  that,  besides  supplying  a 
surplus  over  daily  consumption,  it  resulted  in  ninety- 
five  quart  jars  of  canned  fruit,  and  a  generous 
provision  of  sweet  pickle.  There  were  counted 
eight  hundred  fruits,  averaging  half  a  pound 
apiece.  The  largest  weighed  18  ounces.  The  most 
convenient  size  for  canning  is  12  ounces,  for  the 
table  6  ounces.  It  may  be  of  interest  to  state  that 
in  canning,  42  ounces  of  unpeeled  tomatoes  are 
required  to  fill  a  quart  jar. 


MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD  33 

MAKING  TOMATO  PLANTS  PERENNIAL 

The  raisers  of  that  crop  would  probably  have 
been  glad  to  know  that  they  could  keep  their  tomato 
vines  all  winter,  by  cutting  them  back  in  the  fall, 
and  storing  them  in  dirt  or  sand.  They  should  be 
kept  moist,  and  away  from  any  chance  of  frost 
action.  The  result  will  be  a  saving  of  three  weeks 
or  so  in  the  ripening  of  the  fruit  the  next  year. 

MAKING  YOUR  OWN  SPRINGTIME 

There  are  a  few  perennial  crops,  too,  which  can 
be  hurried  into  bearing  in  the  spring.  If  you  cover 
a  few  asparagus  plants,  or  a  lusty  rhubarb,  with  a 
barrel  and  bank  fresh  stable  manure  up  around  it, 
you  can  be  gathering  those  vegetables  before  their 
unprotected  brethren  are  even  awake  and  growing. 

HOW   TO    DOUBLE   THE    CABBAGE   CROP    IN   YIELD  AND 
QUALITY 

The  season  of  several  crops  can  be  lengthened  at 
the  other  end  by  the  knowledge  of  a  few  interesting 
points,  which  might  not  occur  to  one  spontaneously. 
For  instance,  don't  pull  up  your  cabbages.  Cut 
them  off,  leaving  all  the  stalk  you  can,  and  in  a  short 
time  a  cluster  of  small  heads  will  develop,  which  will 
provide  you  with  some  of  the  tenderest  and  most 
delicate  cabbage  you  ever  ate.  You  can  afford 
to  harvest  these  soon,  while  they  are  tenderest,  for 
they  represent  a  supplementary  crop,  a  sort  of  free 
premium  that  you  weren't,  perhaps,  expecting. 


34  GARDEN  PROFITS 

THE   TWO   GREATEST  GARDEN    PROBLEMS  —  THEIR 
SOLUTIONS 

Probably  the  two  most  important  problems  to 
solve  in  the  backyard  garden  are,  first,  the  utiliza- 
tion of  space  to  the  best  advantage,  and  second, 
the  reduction  of  expenses.  I  doubt  if  there  is  any 
one  best  solution  of  the  first  problem,  any  more  than 
there  is  any  one  "best"  garden  plan.  Every  dis- 
tinct set  of  conditions  calls  for  a  different  treatment, 
and  every  touch  of  personal  experience  and  inge- 
nuity increases  the  efficiency  of  any  previous  plan  for 
saving  space.  Similarly,  you  will  doubtless  think 
of  many  ways  in  which  to  obviate  certain  expenses. 
For  instance,  if  you  find  it  difficult  to  procure  good 
bean  poles,  spend  a  few  cents  for  sunflower  seed, 
start  them  early  in  the  season,  and  transplant  when 
a  foot  or  more  high,  to  the  bean  hills  —  or  rather 
where  the  bean  hills  are  to  be : —  sowing  the  beans 
around  the  sunflower.  This,  in  one  case  at  least, 
solved  the  problem  admirably,  with  apparently  no 
effect  on  the  quality  or  yield  of  the  beans.  All 
that  was  necessary  was  to  strip  off  the  lower  leaves 
of  the  sunflower  stalk,  that  light  and  air  might 
reach  the  bean  vines. 


DOUBLE     THE     USEFULNESS    OF    THE    CLOTHES    POLE 
AND   BEAUTIFY  IT 

Another  scheme  combining  economy,  and  attrac- 
tiveness, is  the  training  of  bean,  cucumber  or  tomato 
vines  over  the  clothes  poles.  The  former  plants 
almost  invariably  become  sufficiently  luxuriant  to 


MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD          35 

drape,  if  not  to  screen  such  objects;  where  tomatoes 
make  a  growth  of  seven  or  eight  feet  they,  too, 
will  prove  useful.  A  little  care  will  prevent  injury 


An  Inspiration  resulted 
In  this  clothes  pole  on 
which  crimson  ramblers 
were  grown.  The  trellis  is 
of  strap  iron,  available  at 
any  blacksmith  shop;  the 
pole  is  of  iron  pipe 


to  the  vines  when  the  poles  are  in  use,  and  if  you 
set  them  deeper  than  usual,  there  will  be  no  danger 
of  the  poles  loosening  in  the  small  area  of  tilled 
ground  around  them. 


A   WELCOME    FOR   POULTRY   IN   THE   GARDEN 

A  few  poultry  enthusiasts  who  are  also  garden 
lovers,  have  discovered  substitutes  for  insecticides, 
in  the  form  of  ducks  and  chickens,  which  are  both 


36  GARDEN  PROFITS 

practical  and  a  means  for  reducing  expenses.  One 
tells  us  that  if  the  asparagus  beetle  becomes  trouble- 
some, a  few  hens  turned  into  the  patch  speedily 
clean  up  the  pests,  with  distinct  enjoyment  and 
benefit  to  themselves  as  well.  Ducks,  on  the  other 
hand,  are  connoisseurs  on  the  subject  of  potato  bugs, 
and  in  not  a  few  cases  are  regularly  let  in  among 
the  potato  and  eggplant  hills,  to  render  unnecessary 
arsenate  of  lead  and  "hand  picking."  I  might 
remind  you,  too,  that  poultry  is  of  no  little  value 
to  the  gardener  as  a  manure  producing  element. 
The  refuse  from  the  poultry  house  is  an  especially 
quick,  rich  fertilizer,  in  fact,  it  must  be  used  with  a 
little  caution  lest  it  burn  the  plants  through  too 
intimate  contact. 


THE  SECRET  OF  SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS 

The  key  to  the  situation  in  the  matter  of  saving 
space  might  be  expressed  as  follows:  Throughout 
every  foot  of  the  garden,  plan  a  second  crop  before 
the  first  is  harvested,  and  do  not  let  the  ground 
remain  idle  between  the  two.  This  may  be  accom- 
plished in  two  general  ways;  first  by  succession, 
second  by  companion  cropping.  An  excellent  exam- 
ple of  the  latter  is  the  practice  of  sowing  radishes 
and  beets,  carrots  or  parsnips  in  the  same  row. 
The  radishes  germinate  first,  break  any  possible 
surface  crust,  and  ripening  rapidly,  may  be  har- 
vested before  the  permanent  crop  needs  the  space. 
Radishes  can  be  used  in  this  way  with  a  number 
of  other  crops.  One  individual  says: 


MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD  37 

"Sow  radish  seeds  in  cucumber  and  squash  beds, 
and  you  will  not  be  troubled  with  the  vines  being 
eaten  by  the  striped  bugs.  As  the  radishes  grow, 
they  may  be  pulled  for  the  table,  for  by  that  time 


Plant  radishes  around  melon,  cucumber 
and  sauash  hills.  Cutworms  will  attack 
them  rather  than  the  more  valuable  mel- 
ons —  and  if  there  are  no  striped  beetles 
about,  you  will  be  the  gainer  by  that 
many  radishes 

the  danger  to  the  cucumbers  and  squashes  from  the 
bugs  will  be  past.  The  radish  seems  to  possess  a 
pungency  which  is  effectual  in  driving  away  the 
bugs." 


COMMERCIAL  METHODS  WORTH   COPYING 

Many  commercial  market  gardeners  have  reduced 
this  combination  planting  to  a  science.  In  raising 
early  cabbage  a  common  scheme  is  to  set  the  plants 
every  15  inches,  in  rows  30  inches  apart.  Between 
each  cabbage  in  every  row  is  set  a  lettuce  plant, 
and  a  continuous  row  of  lettuce  is  sown  midway 
between  the  cabbage  rows.  Then  in  the  centre  of 
the  15-inch  spaces  thus  made  and  between  every 
cabbage  and  lettuce  plant,  radishes  are  grown. 


38  GARDEN  PROFITS 

Spinach  is  another  crop  which  matures  rapidly 
and  is  well  suited  to  filling  out  either  end  of  a  season. 
It  can  be  removed  in  time  for  the  setting  out  of 
egg-and-pepper  plants,  or  will  easily  reach  the 
cutting  stage  on  the  same  ground  from  which  early 
potatoes,  beans,  etc.,  have  been  harvested. 

Onion  sets  prove  useful  in  keeping  the  soil  busy. 
If,  whenever  an  onion  is  pulled,  a  set  is  thrust  into 
the  resulting  space,  there  will  be  practically  an 
unbroken  succession  of  this  popular  vegetable. 
Onions  from  seed  can  be  raised  between  the  asparagus 
plants,  being  sowed  when  the  cutting  season  is  over. 
The  cultivation,  which  I  presume  you  will  undoubt- 
edly give  the  bed,  will  benefit  the  onions  as  well. 

Another  gardener  of  small  spaces  used  the  follow- 
ing rotation:  He  planted  an  early  variety  of  corn 
between  alternate  rows  of  potatoes  after  the  last 
cultivation.  On  August  6,  when  the  potatoes 
were  dug,  he  sowed  winter  turnips  in  their  space, 
which,  of  course,  did  not  interfere  with  the  well- 
developed  corn. 

OVERTIME  GROWTH  IN  THE  STRAWBERRY  BED 

Another  plan  is  to  utilize  the  strawberry  bed 
for  something  besides  strawberries  every  year; 
if  you  can  feed  all  the  plants  well,  this  plan  is  a  good 
one.  Let  the  berries  bear  for  two  years,  that  is, 
occupy  the  ground  for  three.  During  the  first 
season  grow  cabbage  and  cauliflower  between  the 
rows.  This  will  insure  cultivation.  The  second 
season,  after  berry  picking  is  over,  plant  some  late 


MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD          39 

crop,  such  as  spinach,  beets,  lettuce  or  beans.  The 
third  year,  when  the  plants  have  produced  their 
second  crop,  plow  up  the  bed,  manure  it  and  set 
late  celery.  You  may  choose  to  keep  the  rows  clear 
the  second  year  in  order  to  pot  runners  and  secure 
new  plants.  But  this  would  require  but  a  part  of 
the  bed  at  most. 


BARRELS  OF  STRAWBERRIES!   DOING  AWAY  WITH 
PLOWING,    CULTIVATING   AND   MULCHING 

Speaking  of  strawberries,  perhaps  the  most  in- 
tensive method  of  raising  them  is  in  barrels.  In 
the  desire  to  be  strictly  agricultural  and  to  grow 
crops  in  convenient,  straight  rows,  gardeners  have 
lost  sight  of  the  advantages  of  increasing  their 
garden  space  vertically,  a  method  which  was  tried 
with  notable  success  a  few  years  ago.  The  origi- 
nator gives  the  following  prospectus:  Barrels  can 
be  placed  four  feet  apart  (centre  to  centre)  allowing 
2,500  barrels  per  acre.  At  the  rate  of  J/£  bushel 
per  barrel  (which  was  his  yield)  this  would  amount 
to  1,250  bushels  per  acre,  or  (at  a  conservative 
estimate  of  10  cents  per  quart),  gross  returns  of 
#4,000  per  acre! 

Now  I  know  skeptics  —  and  perhaps  you,  your- 
self—  will  say,  "Oh,  that  is  too  much,  that  sort  of 
dream  never  works  out,"  and  forthwith  begin  to 
discredit  my  advice  —  which  is  just  the  point. 
/  do  not  advise  figuring  on  any  such  returns  per  acre. 
That  is  just  what  I  was  driving  at  in  the  previous 
chapter;  that  profits  which  are  perfectly  normal 


40  GARDEN  PROFITS 

on  small  areas  do  not  always  increase  proportionately 
for  larger  areas.  Therefore,  while  $4,000  an  acre 
from  strawberries  sounds  too  good  to  be  true 
(though,  mind  you,  I  don't  say  it  is  .impossible), 
yet  half  a  bushel  per  barrel,  and  five  bushels  from 
ten  barrels  out  in  the  backyard,  is  entirely  possible, 


Two  crops  that  can  be  grown  'In  barrels.  On  the  right,  strawberry,  ( see 
text).  On  the  left,  celery.  Use  a  perforated  stovepipe  in  the  centre: 
and  add  soil  gradually  as  the  plants  grow  and  reauire  blanching.  But,  as 
always,  keep  dirt  out  of  the  heart.  And  don't  forget  to  have  holes  and 
coarse  drainage  material  in  the  bottom  of  both  barrels. 

and  indeed  a  splendid  means  of  bountifully  supply- 
ing your  family  with  this  universally  popular  fruit. 
The  details  of  this  method  are  as  follows: 

Take  any  iron-bound  barrel,  except  one  which 
has  been  used  for  pickles,  sauerkraut,  or  vinegar, 
remove  all  hoops  but  four,  and  bore  four  holes  in 


MONEY  IN  THE  BACKYARD  41 

the  bottom.  Then  space  holes  around  the  barrel 
so  that  twelve  plants  will  go  around  it;  five  rows 
high  will  make  sixty  plants  to  the  barrel.  (The 
fifth  row  can  be  placed  five  inches  from  top  of  barrel.) 
To  make  the  holes  of  proper  depth,  bore  two  holes, 
one  above  the  other,  using  a  one  and  one-half  inch 
bit,  and  cut  out  the  wood  between  the  two  holes; 
you  will  then  have  a  hole  one  and  one-half  by  three 
inches.  Put  about  two  inches  of  firm  gravel  or 
coarse  sand  in  the  bottom  of  the  barrel.  When 
planting,  put  the  plants  as  near  the  top  of  the  holes 
as  possible,  to  allow  for  settling  of  the  soil.  Use 
clay,  well  mixed  with  rotted  manure;  put  in  till 
about  three  inches  above  the  first  row  of  holes, 
being  careful  not  to  have  it  too  wet. 

The  first  row  of  holes  must  be  eight  inches  from 
the  bottom  of  the  barrel.  Get  in  and  tramp  the 
soil  solid,  then  loosen  with  a  trowel  where  the  plants 
go  and  plant  that  row.  Spread  out  the  roots  well, 
then  put  soil  about  one-half  way  up  to  the  next  row 
of  holes.  Now  put  a  common  drain  tile,  twelve 
inches  long  by  three  or  four  inches  in  diameter,  in 
the  centre  of  the  barrel,  and  fill  it  with  coarse  sand; 
then  fill  up  the  barrel  with  soil  to  a  little  above  the 
next  row  of  holes  and  tramp  again.  Be  careful  not 
to  move  the  tile  and  when  adding  soil  to  the  barrel, 
cover  up  the  tile,  so  as  not  to  get  any  dirt  in  it. 
After  planting  the  second  row,  lift  the  tile;  see  that 
the  sand  settles,  then  fill  the  tile  with  sand  again. 
Put  in  soil  above  the  next  row  of  holes,  tramp 
again,  and  plant  that  row;  and  repeat  operation 
until  five  rows  are  planted.  But  don't  fail  to  tramp. 


42  GARDEN  PROFITS 

After  planting,  the  tile  remains  in  the  barrel; 
leave  it  empty  so  as  to  take  water,  which  is  poured 
into  the  tile  for  the  lower  rows;  on  top  of  the  barrel 
for  the  two  upper  rows.  It  would  be  impossible 
to  water  the  lower  plants  without  the  tile  and  the 
core  of  sand.  You  can  water  the  plants  too  much. 
Fill  the  tile  once  a  day,  and  put  about  two  quarts 
of  water  around  it.  After  cold  weather  sets  in 
quit  watering.  The  plants  want  no  winter  pro- 
tection. Set  the  barrel  on  bricks  to  keep  it  off  the 
ground.  If  any  should  die  in  the  summer,  you  can 
replant  by  taking  a  runner  and  putting  the  young 
plant  in  the  hole,  making  it  fast  with  two  little 
sticks. 


Ill 

SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  YOU  CAN  HAVE 

YOU  want  to  know  what  you  can  expect, 
if  you   begin  this  intensive  backyard 
farming  at  home.     Some  of  the  recent 
achievements  of  suburban    gardeners 
are  not  only  useful   from  a  practical 
standpoint  in  supplying  various  ideas,  but  also  in- 
spiring in   the  fact  that  they  are  actual   results, 
such  as  you  can  and  ought  to  effect. 

I  shouldn't  be  surprised  if  I  repeat  these  exhor- 
tations in  behalf  of  a  garden  a  number  of  times  before 
I  get  through.  For  I  want  you  to  become  so  imbued 
with  the  spirit  of  the  thing,  and  so  interested,  excited, 
curious,  incredulous  —  whatever  you  like  —  that 
you  will  really  try  a  garden  this  year.  Get  some 
catalogues,  make  your  plans  —  just  get  started 
once,  and  I'll  not  have  to  mention  the  matter  again. 
You  won't  be  able  to  let  go  of  it;  you  will  only  regret 
that  you  didn't  realize  before  what  a  great  thing  a 
garden  —  a  little  garden  —  really  is. 

1  2OO  PER  CENT.  PROFIT  FROM  2O  X  2J  FT.  OF  GROUND 

"Our  available  space  measured  up  to  a  total  of 
540  square  feet,  and  a  few  trenches  for  sweet  peas. 

43 


44  GARDEN  PROFITS 

"We  had  wax  beans  from  June  26  to  July  31, 
nine  and  one-half  pecks,  valued  at  $2.27;  pole  beans 
from  July  i  to  September  26,  eighteen  and  one-half 
pecks,  worth  $3.94;  sweet  corn  from  July  3  to  Sep- 
tember 2,  204  ears,  worth  $3.98.  The  tomatoes 
yielded  from  July  18  to  October  4  eight  and  one-half 
bushels,  worth  $4.70.  Of  the  early  lettuce, 
radishes,  onions  and  beets  we  kept  no  accurate 
account,  but  we  would  have  had  to  pay  at  least 
$1.50  at  the  grocer's. 

"The  time  devoted  to  working  in  my  garden  was 
that  remaining  out  of  office  hours,  8  A.  M.  to  5  p.  M. 
The  three  obstacles  of  little  time,  little  space  and 
little  knowledge  were  overcome,  and  the  table  for 
a  family  of  four  was  kept  supplied  with  crisp,  fresh 
vegetables. 

"As  soon  as  the  ground  was  in  condition  to  work, 
it  was  spaded  up,  and  the  soil  —  a  tough,  yellow 
clay  —  worked  as  thoroughly  as  possible  with  hoe 
and  rake.  A  quantity  equal  to  two  wagon  loads 
of  old,  black,  stable  manure,  hauled  by  the  wheel- 
barrow load,  was  carefully  worked  into  the  ground. 
We  had  decided  to  begin  with  only  the  staple  summer 
vegetables  —  tomatoes,  beans,  corn,  beets,  with 
lettuce,  radish  and  onion  for  early  spring  greens. 
The  garden  was  laid  off,  as  shown  in  the  accompany- 
ing diagram. 

"The  strip  on  the  south  side  of  the  division  fence, 
four  feet  six  inches  wide  by  eighteen  feet  long,  was 
devoted  to  tomatoes,  seven  plants.  Bordering  the 
walk,  strips  eighteen  inches  wide  by  ten  feet  long 
were  devoted  to  early  bush  wax  beans.  A  strip 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS 


45 


eighteen  inches  wide  by  seven  feet  long,  at  the  back 
of  the  enclosed  porch,  was  given  to  the  old-fashioned 
pole  beans,  as  was  a  strip  eighteen  inches  by  nine 
feet  at  the  front  of  the  coal  shed  and  another 
eighteen  inches  wide  by  ten  feet  long  at  the  end 
of  the  shed. 


TOMATOES  -  Se VE N  PLANTS 
BUSH  •  WAX  >  BEANS 

WALK 

BUSH  <  WAX  >  BEANS 
GAASS  PLOT 

SWEET  PEAS 


4- 


LAZY  Wire  BEAU! 

eecrs 

ONIONS 


GOLDEN  BAHTAM 
SWEET  COM 


Sroimtis  EVERGREEN 
SWEET  CORN 


SrvivfuS  EVERGREEN 
SWEET CORN 

tSfCONO  PLANTJNOt 


ASH 
BINS 


This  business  man's  garden  which  cost  a  dollar  and  produced  four- 
teen.   Business  methods  pay  in  gardening,  too 

"Outside  the  driveway  was  a  plot  nine  feet  in 
width,  running  the  full  depth  of  the  yard.  This  was 
divided  into  three  1 5-foot  spaces,  in  which  sweet 
corn  was  planted.  In  the  'V'  of  the  rear  walk,  a 
bed  for  head  lettuce  was  made,  French  radishes 
being  sowed  between  the  rows  of  lettuce.  At  the 
end  of  the  shed,  between  the  space  given  up  to 
beans  and  the  driveway,  was  a  plot  ten  feet  long 


46  GARDEN  PROFITS 

by  four  feet  wide;  this  was  utilized  for  spring  onions 
and  early  beets. 

"The  purely  decorative  gardening  was  confined 
to  a  strip  a  foot  wide  and  ten  feet  long,  beside  the 
driveway,  wherein  was  made  a  trench  for  sweet 
peas.  A  double  trench  for  the  same  flowers  gave 
two  2O-foot  rows  toward  the  front  of  the  yard  and 
outside  the  driveway;  climbing  nasturtiums  were 
planted  beside  the  back  steps  and  at  the  south  end 
of  the  enclosed  porch,  and  a  small  bed  of  old- 
fashioned  flowering  plants  was  made  beside  the 
walk  leading  around  the  house.  One  plot  of  corn 
was  planted  with  Golden  Bantam  for  first  crop, 
while  in  the  other  plots,  two  plantings  of  Stowell's 
Evergreen  were  made  a  month  apart. 

BEAN    STRINGS,    CHEAPER     AND     SIMPLER    THAN 
POLES 

"  For  the  climbing  beans,  small  stakes  were  driven 
deeply  into  the  ground  at  the  ends  of  the  trenches, 
and  strong  wire  was  run  across  from  one  stake  to 
the  other.  Then  stout  twine,  such  as  is  used  in 
tying  heavy  parcels,  was  strung  from  the  wires 
to  the  walls  —  the  walls  being,  in  one  case,  the 
lattice  of  the  enclosed  porch,  and  in  the  other  the 
front  and  end  of  the  shed.  The  strings  were  placed 
three  or  four  inches  apart  and  were  run  up  about 
seven  feet. 

"For  the  support  of  the  tomato  vines  a  trellis, 
English  fashion,  was  planned,  the  intention  being 
to  hold  the  plants  well  up  from  the  earth  so  that  the 
air  might  circulate  freely  under  and  through  them. 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS 


47 


and  the  fruits  thus  be  kept  off  the  ground.  The 
estimate  of  the  probable  growth  was  entirely  too 
low;  the  tomatoes  finally  attained  a  height  of  fully 
seven  feet  from  the  ground.  The  beans  attained 
a  similar  height  and  the  pods  were  always  clean  and 
easy  to  gather. 


A  simple  trellis  for  beans,  peas,  or  even  tomatoes,  that  can  be 
knocked  together  when  bean  poles  and  brush  are  not  available 

"The  bush  wax  beans  came  to  maturity  at  least 
three  weeks  before  the  climbing  kinds,  and  from 
the  twenty  feet  of  row,  we  gathered  five  pecks. 
While  the  bush  beans  were  still  in  bearing,  the 
climbers  matured  their  earliest  pods,  and  in  repeated 
pickings,  the  last  of  which  was  made  about  the 
middle  of  September,  the  vines  produced  two  and 
one-half  bushels  of  as  fine  'snap'  beans  as  anyone 
could  desire.  Two  varieties  were  planted  —  one 


48  GARDEN  PROFITS 

called  Kentucky  Wonder,  and  the  other,  a  week  to 
ten  days  later,  called  Lazy  Wife.  The  Kentucky 
Wonder  is  certainly  true  to  its  name,  many  of  the 
pods  picked  being  more  than  eight  inches  in  length, 
and  a  number  of  the  fully  matured  ones  measuring 
eleven  to  thirteen  inches. 

"Seventy-eight  fully  developed  ears  were  pulled 
from  the  early  corn,  over  a  period  of  three  weeks, 
the  two  later  plantings  furnishing  126  roasting  ears, 
through  a  season  of  about  seven  weeks. 

"The  tomatoes  planted  were  of  the  variety 
Beefsteak,  large  and  solid.  The  first  ripe  fruits 
were  picked  on  July  18.  At  one  time  the  seven 
vines  were  set  with  over  two  hundred  fruits,  and 
from  their  first  bearing  until  the  end  of  the  season, 
with  the  frost  in  October,  they  furnished  an  ample 
supply  for  the  table,  as  well  as  an  abundance  for 
making  catsup,  Chili  sauce,  etc. 

EXPENSES,  $1  PLUS;  RETURNS,  $14  PLUS 

"As  for  the  cost  of  the  garden,  less  than  one 
dollar  covered  the  entire  cash  outlay  for  seeds,  etc. 
A  single  packet  of  nitro-culture  sufficed  for  treating 
all  the  seed  beans,  and  this  cost  twenty-five  cents. 
The  manure  cost  nothing;  spade,  mattock,  hoe 
and  rake  were  already  on  hand;  therefore,  the  total 
cash  outlay  involved  in  making  this  experiment 
in  "intensive  farming"  was  only  $1.15.  Close  ac- 
count was  kept  of  all  vegetables  used,  the  market 
price  of  the  produce  at  the  time  being  set  down,  and 
by  the  end  of  the  season  the  city  backyard,  that  had 
been  considered  too  small  for  anything  larger  than 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  49 

a  flower  bed,  had  produced,  according  to  the  actual 
market  prices,  $14.52  worth  of  the  finest  of  home- 
grown vegetables. 

WHAT  SCIENCE  HAS  DONE  FOR  THE  GARDEN 

"I  made  a  comparison  of  treated  and  untreated 
beans,  and  am  entirely  satisfied  that  nitro-culture 
increased  the  yield.  The  soil  was  prepared  in 
precisely  the  same  manner  in  all  cases,  and  the 
beans  were  all  weeded,  hoed  and  watered  exactly 
the  same.  From  the  7-foot  row  of  Kentucky 
Wonder  beside  the  porch  (given  the  treatment), 
we  gathered  five  times  the  quantity  of  beans  plucked 
from  the  untreated  9-foot  row.  The  vines,  too, 
made  a  growth  of  from  two  to  five  feet  greater 
length.  I  also  treated  our  sweet  peas,  and  in  the 
entire  neighborhood  ours  were  the  only  ones  which 
were  a  success,  flowering  until  September  and  being 
nearly  seven  feet  in  height.  The  soil  is  a  tough, 
hard,  almost  unworkable  yellow  clay,  that  must 
be  cut  up  with  sand  and  fertilized  until  there  is 
little  of  the  original  soil  left." 

That  is  not  a  bad  season's  work  for  a  man  who 
could  be  at  home  only  before  eight  and  after  five. 
And  I've  never  a  doubt  that  he  was  also  far  better, 
physically,  with  the  work  to  do,  than  he  would  have 
been  without  it. 

THE     REDEMPTION  OF  A  28-FOOT-SQUARE     BACKYARD 

Actual  examples  are  more  effective  than  mere 
precepts.  Therefore  I  want  you  to  read  carefully 
what  was  done  to  make  a  city  backyard  pay  for 


50  GARDEN  PROFITS 

itself.  Notice  that  there  was  no  fertile,  well-tilled 
soil  in  evidence  when  these  gardeners  started  in; 
that  they  practically  pulled  success  out  of  the  chaos 
that  the  housebuilders  left. 

"My  small  city  backyard  garden  (28x28  ft.) 
was  a  decided  success  last  year.  The  produce  grown 
on  this  very  limited  area  was  nearly  all  that  was 
needed  for  a  family  of  three,  and  part  of  the  time 
six,  from  May  to  November;  while  squash  and  celery 
were  to  be  had  in  December.  Besides,  there  were 
twenty  quarts  of  strawberries,  and  from  the  two- 
year-old  currant  bushes  four  quarts  of  fruit  were 
picked.  At  prices  charged  for  the  various  things 
by  our  groceryman,  the  entire  produce  would  have 
cost  me  more  than  thirty  dollars. 

"Upon  the  north  and  east  sides  there  is  a  high 
board  fence,  while  upon  the  south  there  is  a  low 
picket  fence,  which  give  full  exposure  to  the  sun, 
and  at  the  same  time  protection  from  north  winds. 

"Lettuce  and  radishes  were  sown  in  different 
parts  of  the  garden  early,  where  later,  partly  grown 
plants  were  to  be  set  so  that  the  first  crop  did  not 
interfere  in  the  least  with  the  second.  Successive 
sowings  were  made  wherever  a  little  space  could  be 
found.  The  result  was  that  all  the  ground  pro- 
duced two  crops  and  most  of  it  three  during  the 
season. 

"Cucumbers  planted  between  the  strawberries 
and  the  onions  did  not  demand  room  until  after 
both  crops  had  been  gathered.  Four  hills  of  these 
were  trained  up  on  brush,  and  two  were  allowed  to 
run  over  the  strawberry  bed. 


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Plan  of  the  28  x  28  ft.  garden  that  produced 
enough  vegetables  to  supply  a  family  of  three 
from  May  until  November,  besides  an  abun- 
dance of  flowers  all  summer 


52  GARDEN  PROFITS 

"  In  addition  to  the  one  row  of  onions,  sets  were 
put  in  wherever  room  could  be  found,  and  these 
were  pulled  as  soon  as  large  enough  for  use. 

"The  early  pea  vines  were  pulled  up  about  July 
I,  and  this  space  was  set  to  Golden  Self-blanching 
celery  in  a  double  row,  which  yielded  about  sixty 
good  bunches  for  late  fall  and  winter  use. 

"Meanwhile  a  row  of  late  tomatoes  had  been 
growing  on  the  east  side  of  the  early  peas,  and 
another  of  early  ones  by  the  side  of  the  dwarf  peas. 
These  were  trimmed  to  one  stalk,  and  fastened  to 
stakes  six  feet  high.  All  foliage  was  removed  for 
about  two  feet  above  the  ground. 

"A  row  of  string  beans  took  the  place  of  the 
dwarf  peas,  and  yielded  a  fair  crop  in  spite  of  being 
less  than  a  foot  from  the  tomato  plants. 

"In  the  corn  rows  a  few  pole  beans  of  the  wax 
variety  were  planted,  which  made  good  use  of  the 
old  stalks  for  poles.  Also  two  or  three  hills  of 
winter  squash  were  planted  which  in  the  late  summer 
completely  covered  the  space  where  the  corn  had 
been. 

"There  had  been  applied  plenty  of  fertilizer 
from  a  neighboring  barnyard  in  the  early  spring, 
while  during  the  growing  season  nitrate  of  soda  had 
been  used  as  frequently  as  the  plants  could  assim- 
ilate it.  The  entire  growth  was  luxuriant,  though 
the  crowded  condition  prevented  the  best  develop- 
ment of  everything,  yet  there  was  not  a  single 
failure. 

"The  results  are  for  the  second  summer.  The 
beginning  was  made  on  the  sand  and  gravel  left 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  53 

WHAT  THE  SQUARE  YIELDED 


Name 

Variety 

Quantity 

Value 

Bean 

Stringless  Wax.       .      . 

25  quarts 

$1.25 

Stringless  Green  Pod 

25  quarts 

1.25 

Pole  Wax 

Dwarf  Lima      * 

7  pints 

1.05 

Beet 

Early  Blood-turnip 

Midsummer 

30  bunches 

•75 

Celery 

Golden  Self-blanching 

125  stalks 

5.00 

Corn 

Ideal 

Champion 

10  dozen 

2.00 

Stowell's  Evergreen 

Cucumber 

Extra  Early        .     .     . 

60  large 

1.50 

Fordhook 

I-  57 

Improved  White  Spine 

3  quarts 

.30 

Currants 

4  quarts 

.40 

Lettuce 

Grand  Rapids  Forcing 

Giant  Crystal  Head 

200  heads 

5.00 

Onion 

White  sets          .      .      . 

30  bunches 

1-50 

Parsley 

Champion  Moss  Curled 

10  bunches 

•30 

(Large  quantities  un- 

used) 

Pea 

Extra  Early  Prolific 

American  Wonder 

40  quarts 

2.00 

Champion  of  England 

Radish 

Twenty-Day  Forcing 

20  bunches 

.50 

Red  and  White  Delicious 

Salsify 

Long  White       .      .     . 

15  bunches 

.90 

Squash 

Early  Crookneck     .      . 

40 

I  .00 

Large  Winter  (name 

unknown)       .     . 

6 

.90 

Sweet  Potato  Squash 

50 

1.25 

Strawberries 



20  quarts 

2.50 

Tomatoes 

Early  Freedom  . 

4  bushels 

2.60 

Ponderosa     .... 

Total 

$33.52 

54  GARDEN  PROFITS 

by  the  builders.  The  yard  has  been  completely 
changed  from  the  usual  unattractive  city  '  clothes 
yard'  to  a  place  of  beauty  and  genuine  utility." 

WHAT  ONE  WOMAN  CAN  DO  WITH  $IO 

I  would  be  disappointed  if  you  could  not  find 
faults  in  some  of  these  records,  which  you  would 
plan  to  better  in  your  own  garden.  You  may  not 
agree  with  the  theory  mentioned  in  the  next  account, 
that  forty-foot  rows  are  too  long  for  comfort,  es- 
pecially if  you  use  a  wheel  hoe.  But  that  is  just 
the  sort  of  thing  that  can  be  settled  best  by  each 
individual.  On  the  whole,  though,  I  think  a  woman 
is  well  on  the  road  to  success  when  she  can  attain 
results  such  as  those  below.  Moreover,  she  limited 
herself  to  a  definite  expenditure,  and  did  not  exceed  it. 

"Last  year  I  decided  to  attempt  a  vegetable 
garden,  and  for  fear  of  failure,  determined  to  limit 
my  outlay  to  ten  dollars.  Throughout  the  season 
an  account  was  kept  of  the  produce  from  it,  at 
market  prices,  and  I  found  that  it  yielded  nearly 
double  the  amount  of  my  outlay. 

"The  vacant  land  at  the  rear  allowed  a  garden 
plot  forty-six  by  thirty  feet.  Early  in  March  a  plan 
was  made,  using  the  notes  taken  in  my  neighbors' 
gardens  and  following  the  more  specific  directions 
on  varieties  and  spacing  found  in  reliable  seed 
catalogues.  As  I  could  think  of  nothing  more 
discouraging  than  to  weed  rows  over  forty  feet  long, 
I  decided  to  cut  them  across  the  centre  with  a  path 
two  feet  wide,  distinguishing  this  walk  by  an  edg- 
ing of  flowers.  This  made  two  sections,  with  rows 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS 


55 


twenty-two  feet  long,  running  north  and  south- 
Beds  there  were  none,  as  with  flowers  I  had  learned 
that  rows  were  much  more  easily  cared  for. 

"In  the  sunniest  end  of  the  garden  early  peas, 
lettuce,  radishes,  cucumbers,  and  string  beans  were 
planted.  A  few  hills  of  muskmelons,  one  dozen 
tomato  plants,  three  rows  of  early  corn,  and  one 
row  of  summer  squash  were  also  to  go  in  the  southern 
half  of  the  garden. 

"On  the  other  side  of  the  path  (toward  the  north) 
rows  of  Black  Mexican  corn,  pumpkins  and  Hubbard 
squash,  parsnips  and  salsify  and  pole  beans  were 


Stnef 


Plan  of  Ten  Dollar  Garden 
and  sketch  showing  location 


How  to  plan  so  as  to  raise  all  the  vegetables  for  the  family  on  a 
50  x  100  ft.  city  lot 

planted.     Being  anxious  to  have  plenty  of  tomatoes 
for  preserving,  twelve  more  plants  were  put  here, 


56  GARDEN  PROFITS 

also  five  additional  hills  of  melons,  and  one  row  of 
bush  peas  to  be  my  second  crop.  Turnips  and 
winter  beets  shared  one  row,  carrots  and  beet  greens 
another.  Next  came  a  variety  of  late  peas  which 
I  had  been  advised  to  plant  early  and  train  on 
strings.  Just  here,  at  the  eastern  edge  of  the  gar- 
den, where  the  soil  was  exceptionally  deep  and 
loamy,  space  was  devoted  to  a  row  of  spinach  and 
onions.  After  a  few  seeds  of  parsley  and  cress  were 
sprinkled  along  the  path  its  borders  were  to  be 
filled  up  with  zinnias,  marigolds  and  candytuft. 

"The  plan  did  not  reach  this  finished  state  until 
I  had  spent  many  hours  thinking  it  over  and  re- 
adjusting it.  Once  completed,  however,  the  seeds 
were  ordered  immediately,  that  I  might  have  no 
opportunity  for  changing  my  mind. 

"In  April,  as  soon  as  the  frost  was  out  of  the 
ground,  the  land  was  plowed.  As  the  earth  was  new, 
there  was  much  work  then  to  be  done  in  the  way 
of  pulling  up  sods,  throwing  out  stones,  and  spad- 
ing, where  specially  well-worked  soil  was  needed. 
At  first  I  undertook  to  do  all  this  myself,  but  was 
finally  obliged  to  hire  a  man  for  the  heavier  part  of 
the  labor.  By  working  with  him  the  work  was 
finished  in  less  than  a  day.  Lastly  the  garden  was 
raked  three  times. 

"No  change  in  the  plan  was  found  necessary 
when  planting  the  seeds,  but,  figuratively  speaking, 
it  was  necessary  to  have  the  catalogue  tied  to  my 
apron-strings,  for  constant  reference  as  regards 
time  of  planting,  distances,  and  depth.  As  the 
soil  had  not  been  worked  for  some  years  I  was  ad- 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  57 

vised  to  use  a  little  commercial  fertilizer  to  start 
things,  in  addition  to  the  stable  manure  which  would 
carry  them  through  the  season. 

"It  had  been  predicted  that  the  two  kinds  of 
corn  would  mix,  as  both  were  planted  in  such  a 
small  area,  but  by  delaying  planting  one  variety 
for  three  weeks  I  had  no  such  trouble.  After  the 
earliest  peas  were  gone,  lettuce  was  planted  in  that 
row,  while  more  peas  (a  wrinkled  variety)  went 
into  the  original  lettuce  row.  When  the  carrots 
were  ready  to  be  thinned  out  the  surplus  plants 
were  transplanted  into  the  other  half  of  their  row, 
which  had  previously  been  filled  with  beet  greens. 
The  string  and  butter  beans  were  successful,  but 
the  pole  beans  did  not  mature  so  well,  although  their 
flavor  is  good.  I  learned,  however,  that  more 
fertilizer  is  required  for  that  kind  than  for  other 
varieties. 

"Tiring  of  radishes  in  July,  endive  was  planted, 
which  was  taken  into  the  cellar  in  the  late  fall  and 
lasted  some  time  for  use  in  salads.  There  were 
really  more  cucumbers  than  I  could  use,  but  some 
were  disposed  of  by  pickling.  The  turnips  were  a 
failure,  as  the  damp  soil  was  too  heavily  fertilized. 
The  parsnips  were  left  in  the  ground  till  winter. 

"At  first  the  different  bugs  and  worms  seemed 
a  great  problem,  so  far  did  their  numbers  exceed 
those  of  the  insect  pests  common  to  flower  beds; 
but  I  found  that  t»y  fighting  them  systematically 
I  could  check  their  depredations.  Later  on,  the 
toads  proved  to  be  such  willing  partners  that  I 
introduced  a  plentiful  supply  into  my  garden. 


58  GARDEN  PROFITS 

SUGGESTIONS    WORTH    MONEY 

"In  August,  some  one  suggested  cutting  off  the 
tops  and  branches  of  the  tomatoes,  leaving  only 
three  stalks  to  a  plant.  I  tried  this  with  a  dozen, 
which  were  tied  to  stakes;  the  others  were  left  to 
grow  as  they  would,  supporting  some  in  frames  made 
of  barrel  hoops  and  staves,  and  tying  the  others  to 
lattices  which  were  at  hand.  The  first  method  is 
the  best,  as  it  economizes  space,  and  results  in  larger 
and  more  abundant  fruit.  The  cost  of  fertilizers  is  re- 
duced by  the  use  of  wood  ashes,  of  which  I  collect 
about  a  bushel  in  a  winter.  Another  economy  is  a 
compost  heap,  where  are  thrown  old  vines,  the 
kitchen  waste,  and  autumn  leaves  raked  off  the 
front  yard.  These  last  retain  moisture  and  will  be 
decomposed  by  spring.  When  recommended  to  me, 
I  thought  such  a  collection  would  make  an  unsightly 
object,  but  this  difficulty  was  rectified  by  sprinkling 
seeds  of  wild  cucumber  and  scarlet  runner  over  the 
heap,  and  planting  around  the  edge  a  screen  of 
Russian  sunflowers. 

LIST    OF    EXPENDITURES 

Plowing        $1.00 

Commercial  fertilizer I .  oo 

Manure         3.00 

Seeds 2.50 

Tomato  plants .50 

Bean  poles .50 

Insecticides .25 

Labor  hired i .  25 

Total     .      .     .      , ,     $10.00 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  59 

"The  hardest  work  of  all  in  my  garden  was  thin- 
ning and  transplanting,  but  it  was  at  the  same  time 
really  the  most  interesting.  Weeding  was  done 
daily,  never  letting  the  weeds  get  ahead. 

"My  western  wind-break  of  wild  barberry  (Ber- 
beris  vulgaris),  is  the  outcome  of  several  years' 
labor  and  is  effective,  both  as  regards  use  and 
beauty.  The  scent  of  its  yellow  blossoms  fills  the 
spring  air,  and  its  cardinal  fruit  adds  to  the  bright- 
ness of  autumn,  while  some  remain  even  through 
the  winter  snows. 

"The  thorns  prove  an  additional  safeguard 
against  small  boys,  who  never  make  a  second  at- 
tempt to  crawl  through." 

A    PRACTICAL    WORKING    CALENDAR 

I  am  going  to  have  a  few  things  to  say  about 
garden  records  further  on,  but  in  anticipation  of 
them,  the  calendar  of  a  backyard  garden  is  full 
of  interest.  A  space  40  x  45  ft.  is  not  large  enough 
to  require  voluminous  diaries,  but  it  will  give  you 
something  to  think  over,  and  a  good  deal  on  which 
to  base  future  plans  and  additions.  You  could 
not  do  better  than  to  follow  the  example  set  by  this 
garden  maker,  in  beginning  work  in  February  — 
unless,  indeed,  you  began  in  January. 

"One  sunny  afternoon  in  February  the  first 
garden  work  was  done.  The  whole  afternoon  was 
spent  with  catalogues  and  the  record  book  of  the 
year  before.  By  night  two  short  seed  lists  were 
done,  and  a  list  of  plants  started. 

"In  a  garden  as  small  as  this  it  does  not  pay  to 


6o 


GARDEN  PROFITS 


raise  corn,  peas  (except  the  earliest),  cucumbers, 
squashes,  potatoes  and  a  few  other  things  that  take 
up  too  much  ground. 


The  40  x  45  ft.  garden.    Every  foot  was  kept  busy  and  parts  of  it 
grew  three  crops.    Can  you  do  as  well? 

"I  always  plant  flowers  that  bloom  for  the  longest 
period,  e.  g.;  zinnias  (always  Dwarf  Fireball), 
because  they  make  a  gorgeous  show  of  red  from 
June  till  frost  and  stand  our  dry  summer  weather. 

"March  6  the  first  planting  was  done.  Pon- 
derosa  and  Freedom  tomato  seeds  were  sown  in  a 
box  filled  with  earth  saved  in  the  cellar.  A  week 
later,  rhubarb,  hollyhocks,  and  tulips  showed  signs 
of  life  outdoors. 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  61 

"March  19.     I  planted  sweet  peas. 

"March  25.     The  tomatoes  were  up. 

"April  3.     I  started  a  box  of  zinnia  seeds. 

"April  5.  The  first  outdoor  planting  of  radishes, 
beets,  lettuce,  mustard  and  onion  sets  was  made. 
Two  dozen  tomato  plants  were  transplanted  to 
another  box,  to  allow  them  more  room. 

"April  9.  We  used  the  first  rhubarb  from  the  gar- 
den. The  year  before  the  first  rhubarb  was  pulled 
on  March  31. 

"April  13.  Nott's  Excelsior  garden  peas  were 
planted.  Early  Alaska  is  the  best  in  this  section 
for  early  planting.  More  onions  were  at  this 
time  set  out. 

"  I  firmly  resolved  that  next  fall  the  whole  garden 
should  be  spaded  over.  Last  fall,  being  busy,  I 
did  not  get  it  all  dug.  The  part  not  dug  was  now  a 
week  behind! 

"The  second  week  of  April,  asters  were  planted 
in  boxes  and  hollyhocks  were  transplanted  to  a  row 
along  the  south  side  of  the  woodshed  to  hide  the 
building  as  much  as  possible.  The  hollyhocks  sow 
themselves.  A  few  in  odd  corners  are  allowed  to 
grow  the  first  blossomless  summer.  Next  spring 
I  transplant  them  to  permanent  quarters. 

"The  third  week  in  April  things  began  to  grow 
encouragingly.  Beans  were  planted  —  the  String- 
less  Green  Pod  variety. 

"The  last  week  in  April  the  weather  was  nearly 
warm.  Nasturtiums  were  planted  against  the  wire 
fence  next  the  street.  A  dozen  cauliflower  plants 
were  bought  for  ten  cents  and  set  out. 


62  GARDEN  PROFITS 

"Asparagus,  eagerly  watched  for,  now  got  above 
ground.  New  plants  (Palmetto,  three  years  old) 
were  put  out  two  years  ago. 

"April  23  tulips  began  to  bloom.  April  26  the 
first  asparagus  was  used.  More  peas  planted. 
Gladiolus  bulbs  put  out.  April  30  the  tulips  were 
at  their  best. 

"The  first  week  in  May  more  beans  were  planted. 
Some  of  the  zinnias  in  the  seed  box  were  set  out. 
Asters  were  transplanted  to  two  inches  apart  in 
another  box. 

"  May  9.  The  third  crop  of  mustard  was  put  out. 
Used  as  greens  instead  of  spinach  we  find  mustard 
more  palatable  because  of  its  pungent  taste. 

"May  12.  The  plants  came.  This  is  always 
nearly  as  big  a  day  in  making  the  garden  as  the  day 
peas  are  planted. 

"The  next  week  the  tomato  plants  were  set  out. 

"May  23  was  another  big  day.  The  first  sweet 
peas  bloomed,  the  first  in  town.  A  small  square 
of  golden  yellow  popcorn  was  planted  for  the  boy's 
amusement.  Before  the  3ist  tomatoes  and  roses 
were  in  bloom. 

"  In  June  flowers  began  to  bloom  on  every  hand. 
All  the  plants  started  in  the  house  were  put  out. 
Tulips  were  not  dry  enough  to  dig  until  the  middle 
of  the  month.  They  were  succeeded  by  asters  in 
four  varieties.  June  8  a  hundred  celery  plants, 
bought  of  a  gardener  for  forty  cents,  were  put  out 
between  rows  of  cauliflower,  mustard  and  peas. 
They  were  four  inches  high.  In  less  than  a  month 
mustard  and  cauliflower  were  out,  leaving  the 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  63 

ground  to  the  celery.  In  June  we  got  all  the  cauli- 
flower, beans,  radishes,  young  onions,  lettuce, 
mustard,  rhubarb  and  asparagus  we  could  use. 
We  quit  cutting  asparagus  June  15,  to  let  the  plants 
make  roots  for  next  year.  Parsnips  were  now  putout. 

"July  was  easy.  Not  much  to  do  but  hoe. 
Beets  swelled  fast.  Onions  got  big  and  round  and 
lay  basking  in  the  sun.  The  dwarf  scarlet  zinnias 
absorbed  so  much  sunshine  in  daytime  that  they 
themselves  shone  late  into  the  dusk.  Sweet  peas 
bore  prodigiously.  Besides  hoeing  after  every 
shower,  there  were,  in  July,  stakes  to  set  and  plants 
to  tie  up.  Dahlias,  gladioli,  tomatoes,  chrysan- 
themums, even  hollyhocks,  had  to  be  staked  and 
tied.  As  fast  as  one  crop  got  off  the  ground  another 
was  put  in.  Asters  began  to  make  a  great  showing. 
July  1 8  tomatoes  were  ripe  —  two  weeks  late. 
On  the  23d  the  last  of  the  onions,  about  a  bushel 
and  a  half,  was  dug.  Tomatoes  now  began  to 
bear  well. 

"August,  too,  was  easy.  Asters  still  made  a  show. 
We  had  the  best  dahlias  in  town.  We  got  $4  worth 
of  Caroline  Testout  roses.  The  last  of  August 
beans  and  lettuce  were  planted  for  the  last  time. 

"September  was  August  over  again.  The  garden 
still  made  a  great  show  but  the  work  had  been  done. 
Celery  was  watered.  September  23  the  first  of  it 
was  banked  up.  In  October  the  last  of  it  was 
banked  and  boarded  up  to  blanch. 

"The  first  two  weeks  in  October  we  had  a  good 
show  of  dahlias  and  pompom  chrysanthemums. 
In  vegetables  we  had  green  beans,  bet  is,  mustard, 


64  GARDEN  PROFITS 

tomatoes,  parsnips,  lettuce,  parsley,  and  were  be- 
ginning to  use  the  celery.  The  last  was  one  of 
the  great  successes  of  the  year." 

TALES    OF    THREE    GARDENS    AND    $3OO 

A  $100  vegetable  bill  for  the  season,  seems  rather 
steep  when  you  have  to  pay  it.  yet  you  are  liable  to 
lose  sight  of  its  importance  when  you  save  that 
much  by  raising  your  own  vegetables.  The  amount 
carries  added  weight  as  the  area  from  which  it  was 
derived  and  the  corresponding  debit  sheet  dimin- 
ishes. I  recall  three  vacant  lots  70  x  125  feet,  80  x 
100  feet,  and  about  70  x  200  feet  respectively,  on 
each  of  which  $100  worth  of  vegetables  was  raised. 

The  total  outlay  for  the  largest  was  $10,  itemized 
as  plowing  $2.25,  clearing  $3,  bean  trellis  $i,  seeds, 
etc.,  $3.75.  An  original  method  of  supporting 
pea  vines  was  practised,  three  light  wires  being 
strung  on  stakes,  and  "dry  horse-weeds"  being 
woven  in  to  form  the  support.  The  best  results 
were  from  early  potatoes,  of  which  40  bushels 
were  raised  from  i^  bushels  of  seed.  From  pro- 
ducts sold  there  was  obtained  a  net  profit  of  $10, 
aside  from  the  family's  supply  which  brought  the 
value  of  the  garden  up  to  $100. 


Notwithstanding  the  scarcity  of  time  by  which  the 
average  business  man  is  handicapped,  one  indi- 
vidual managed  to  get  three  crops  from  part  of  his 
80  x  100  foot  garden.  This  section  was,  early 
in  the  spring,  planted  with  early,  medium  and 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  65 

late  varieties  of  potato,  which  brought  in  $30. 
When  cultivation  was  discontinued  corn  was  planted 
between  alternate  rows,  the  vines  of  the  inter- 
vening rows  being  laid  together.  The  potatoes 
were  removed  by  August  6,  when  half  the  plot 
was  sown  to  turnips,  the  rest  to  rye,  which  was  to 
be  used  as  winter  chicken  food.  Just  a  suggestion 
of  gardening  possibilities  is  furnished  by  the  pump- 
kin crop.  Three  seeds  were  planted,  and  the  yield 
consisted  of  twenty-one  excellent  "fruit."  It  al- 
most makes  me  tremble  to  work  out  the  percentage 
of  profit  in  this  case,  but  it  is  legitimate  gain,  never- 
theless. The  total  credit  sheet  for  this  garden  is 
given  as  follows: 

Grapes $  25.00 

Sweet  potatoes 5 .  oo 

Green  beans 5.00 

Cucumbers 2.50 

Pumpkins 2.60 

Lettuce 1.50 

Chicken  greens 2.40 

Potatoes 30.00 

Green  corn 10.00 

Tomatoes 10.00 

Turnips 3.00 

Radishes i.oo 

Onions  2.00 


Total $100.00 


A  touch  of  what  might  be  called  the  romance  of 
gardening  is  conveyed  in  the  history  of  a  cooperative 
vegetable  growing  scheme.  Also  it  disproves  the 
thought  that  more  than  two  heads  always  make 


66  GARDEN  PROFITS 

"  too  many  cooks."  The  work  was  not  attended  by 
any  excess  of  encouragement,  either,  for  when  the 
plan  of  a  cooperative  garden  worked  by  three 
neighbors  was  broached  to  an  advising  authority, 
he  pessimistically  prophesied  a  breach  in  the 
friendly  relations  between  the  three  before  the  season 
was  over.  How  far  this  was  from  the  actual  re- 
sults, can  be  inferred  from  the  following: 

"In  the  spring  of  1907  we  secured,  rent  free,  two 
lots,  measuring  altogether  70  x  125  feet,  located  close 
to  our  respective  homes.  After  clearing  the  ground 
of  an  accumulation  of  ashes,  tin  cans  and  other 
rubbish,  the  ground  was  plowed,  harrowed  and 
fenced  on  three  sides.  The  fence  was  made  of 
2  x  43  and  4-foot  chicken  wire.  On  the  fourth  side 
was  a  neighbor's  fence. 

"My  two  associates  knew  absolutely  nothing 
about  gardening,  so  that  the  directing  and  planning 
fell  upon  my  shoulders.  By  the  aid  of  The  Garden 
Magazine  a  complete  plan  of  the  whole  garden  was 
drawn  to  scale  and  the  times  of  the  various  plantings 
marked.  The  lot  faced  the  east,  so  the  rows  were 
run  north  and  south,  the  tall  growing  vegetables 
being  kept  at  the  back,  the  shorter  ones  next,  then 
a  narrow  flower  bed  and  a  grass  plot  seeded  in  front 
the  same  depth  as  the  neighbors'  lawns.  The  wire 
fence  came  only  as  far  as  the  grass,  and  was  on  a 
line  with  the  front  of  the  houses  on  the  street.,  A 
clump  of  Golden  Glow  roots  was  planted  by  each 
post  all  around  the  garden. 

"The  grass  plot  in  front,  the  narrow  strip  of 
annuals,  the  clumps  of  Golden  Glow  around  the 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  67 

whole  garden,  the  successive  rows  of  variously  col- 
ored vegetables,  each  a  little  taller  than  the  ones  in 
front,  with  giant  Stowell's  Evergreen  corn  for  a  back- 
ground, made  a  beautiful  picture  from  the  street. 
Although  the  garden  was  purely  a  vegetable  one, 
the  general  appearance  and  the  narrow  border 
of  flowers  won  for  it  favorable  mention  in  a  flower 
garden  contest  covering  the  whole  city. 

"Up  to  the  time  when  the  seeding  was  finished  it 
was  one  garden,  each  man  helping  to  the  best  of  his 
time  and  ability  under  proper  direction.  At  this  time 
the  garden  was  divided  into  three  equal  parts  by 
two  rows  of  stakes  from  front  to  back  and  each  gar- 
dener was  responsible  for  his  own  plot,  and  had  to  do 
his  own  cultivating,  watering,  and  gathering. 

"The  cost  the  first  year  was: 

Plowing  and  harrowing $4.00 

Fence  posts  and  wire 8.00 

Fertilizer 5.00 

Seeds 8.00 

Total $25.00 

"  From  this  vegetable  plot  of  70  x  100  feet,  ex- 
clusive of  the  portion  planted  to  flowers  and  grass,  we 
estimated  that  at  current  prices  for  wilted  store  vege- 
tables, we  took  about  one  hundred  dollars'  worth  of 
the  most  delicious  vegetables  one  could  desire. 

"In  1908,  not  having  a  fence  to  pay  for,  a  com- 
bination wheel  hoe  and  seeder  was  purchased,  which 
lightened  our  labor  and  made  a  heavier  and  more 
uniform  yield.  The  struggle  with  weeds  was  not 
so  great  as  the  first  year,  for  many  years  previous 


68  GARDEN  PROFITS 

to  our  breaking  sod  a  magnificent  crop  of  shoulder- 
high  weeds  had  flourished. 

"In  the  third  season,  1909,  the  personnel  of  the 
partnership  was  changed,  two  members  having 
moved  from  the  city,  but  two  other  friends  took 
their  places,  with  just  as  gratifying  results. 
Contrary  to  the  prophecy,  our  friendship  has 
been  cemented,  rather  than  broken,  by  our  cooper- 
ative digging,  hoeing,  watering,  and  harvesting." 

TRANSPLANTING;  ONE  WAY  TO  SAVE  SPACE 

I  have  already  mentioned  the  value  of  a  hotbed 
for  summer  use  in  raising  plants  later  to  be  set  in 
empty  rows.  For  want  of  a  hotbed,  any  small 
plot  in  the  garden  may  be  used  as  a  seedbed  when 
the  days  become  warm,  providing  the  soil  is  kept  in 
excellent,  fine  condition.  Tomatoes,  lettuce,  egg- 
plant, and  the  cabbage  family  are  especially  adapted 
to  this  filling-in  system,  but  I  note  in  the  records  of 
one  15  x  30  foot  garden  that  cucumbers,  squash,  bush 
beans  and  kohlrabi  were  also  treated  in  this  way. 
A  plot  as  small  as  that  is  within  almost  any  one's 
reach,  as  is  also  the  ten  minutes  a  day  that  was 
needed  to  care  for  it.  Whether  similar  results  are  as 
available  must  be  determined  by  your  energy  and  your 
individual  application  of  up-to-date  methods.  This 
is  another  garden  in  which  the  moving  spirit  was  a 
woman.  Her  account  of  the  season's  work  is  as  follows: 

A    TEN-MINUTE-A-DAY    GARDEN 

"Many  possessors  of  small  pieces  of  ground  never 
think  of  raising  their  own  vegetables  because  they 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  69 

imagine  that  in  order  to  make  vegetable-growing 
worth  while,  a  half-acre  plot  and  a  man  to  work  it 
are  necessary.  But  I  know  differently.  For  on 
a  garden  spot,  measuring  fifteen  by  thirty  feet,  and 
with  only  ten  minutes'  work  a  day,  we  grew  twelve 
dollars'  worth  of  vegetables.  There  were  twenty 
kinds  and  each  planting  yielded  enough  at  a  picking 
to  supply  a  family  of  five  grown  persons.  The  seed 
cost  less  than  a  dollar;  except  in  cases  where  we  knew 
the  actual  value,  we  have  reckoned  it  as  one  cent, 
because  the  quantity  necessary  was  only  a  small 
portion  of  a  five  or  ten  cent  package.  One  week's 
picking  alone  would  more  than  equal  the  entire  cost  of 
seed,  as  the  following  table  shows: 

LARGEST    PICKING     FOR    ONE    WEEK,    JUNE    14    TO    2O 

Parsley $  .20 

Peas 25 

Carrots .25 

Chard .10 

Lettuce .45 

Beets .05 

Total $1.30 

LARGEST    PICKING    FOR    ONE    DAY,    SEPTEMBER    14 

2  quarts  Limas £.10 

1  quart  pole  beans 05 

2  quarts  parsley 10 

3  ears  corn 05 

9  carrots 05 

8  cucumbers 20 

9  tomatoes 05 

Total $.60 


70  GARDEN  PROFITS 

"Our  first  thought  was  to  plant  the  rows  north 
and  south  in  order  to  get  the  full  benefit  of  the 
sunshine.  Next  we  arranged  rows  of  three  different 
lengths  —  thirty  feet  for  those  vegetables  of  which 
we  wanted  the  largest  possible  quantity,  twenty 
feet  for  others  and  ten  feet  for  the  sorts  that  would 
yield  a  sufficient  amount  from  a  small  space.  In 
every  case  where  it  was  possible,  a  succession  or 
doubling-up  was  done.  Sometimes  two  or  even 
three  crops  grew  on  the  same  line.  In  the  case  of 
the  potatoes  and  corn,  alternate  hills  of  the  former 
were  promptly  dug  and  the  space  replanted  with  a 
July  sowing  of  corn. 

"The  3O-foot  row  of  early  peas  was  followed  by 
three  crops  that  made  use  of  the  same  trellis,  each 
occupying  one-third  of  the  row. 

"As  both  onions  and  parsley  are  the  better  for 
transplanting,  the  young  plants  of  each  simply 
exchanged  locations;  the  parsley  went  into  the  place 
vacated  by  the  onions  and  seed  of  the  later  crop  of 
onions  was  sown  in  the  parsley  row.  In  instances 
where  the  ground  was  not  to  be  vacated  early  enough 
for  the  later  planting,  the  sowings  of  the  successive 
crops  were  made  in  odd  corners  or  in  flower  pots, 
and  the  plantlets  transplanted  as  soon  as  there 
was  a  vacancy;  tomatoes,  cucumbers,  squash,  bush 
Limas,  kohlrabi  and  lettuce  were  treated  in  this 
way. 

FIVE    CROPS    ON    ONE    FOOT    OF    GROUND 

"The  trellises  and  adjacent  ground  were  used  for 
two,  three,  four  or  even  five  crops.  One  foot  from 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS 


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72  GARDEN  PROFITS 

the  eastern  boundary  line  of  the  garden  was  an 
arched  trellis,  on  the  opposite  sides  of  which  peas 
and  Lima  beans  grew.  At  the  foot  of  the  trellis 
were  radishes,  and  as  soon  as  they  were  harvested, 
lettuce  plants  (that  had  been  started  in  another 
part  of  the  garden)  were  moved  in.  A  tomato 
plant  occupied  one  of  the  uprights  of  this  trellis, 
so  that  the  one-foot  strip  of  ground  actually  ac- 
commodated five  crops. 

"The  12-foot  trellis  at  the  back  of  the  garden 
has  a  similar  history.  It  was  sowed  the  entire 
length  with  pole  beans.  At  each  of  the  five 
uprights  there  was  a  tomato  plant.  A  lemon 
cucumber  climbed  on  this  trellis,  and  -  some 
asparagus  beans,  making  four  crops  at  the  same 
time. 

"Sometimes  a  second  crop  was  sown  before  the 
first  one  was  off  the  ground.  This  was  accomplished 
by  planting  the  row  a  few  inches  away  from  the 
old  one,  and  as  soon  as  the  latter  was  removed  the 
young  crop  had  all  the  room  it  required  and  yet 
had  the  advantage  of  several  days'  start.  Double 
rows  are  another  help  to  economy  of  space.  Slow 
maturing  crops  can  be  either  sowed  or  transplanted 
on  each  side  of  a  row  of  small  vegetables,  such  as 
onions,  which  will  be  cleared  in  time  for  the  later 
crops  to  fill  the  space. 

"The  garden  provided  for  use  outside  of  its  own 
boundaries  about  three  hundred  carrot  plants, 
nearly  three  dozen  corn  plants,  about  two  dozen 
Lima  beans,  and  several  chard  seedlings,  all  of 
which  were  successfully  transplanted.  It  also  pro- 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  73 

vided  parsley  roots    to  supply  three  families    for 
winter. 

WHAT   YOUR    GARDEN    CAN    GROW 

Here  follows  an  exact  record  of  each  crop  —  you 
can  simply  repeat  all  this: 

"Potatoes. —  Cost  of  seed,  ten  cents;  length  of 
row,  twenty  feet.  This  crop  was  produced  from 
one  pound  of  seed  potatoes  that  made  enough 
pieces  to  plant  a  dozen  hills,  half  on  March  3 1  and 
the  rest  two  weeks  later.  We  preferred  earliness 
to  size,  and  the  variety  was  chosen  accordingly, 
with  the  result  that  we  were  digging  potatoes  on 
June  24,  by  which  time  they  had  attained  the  size 
of  eggs.  A  week  later  we  dug  some  that  weighed 
half  a  pound.  Each  hill  supplied  a  meal  or  more, 
and  the  last  was  dug  on  August  23,  so  that  during 
the  two  months  we  bought  no  potatoes  at  the  store. 
We  do  not  use  many  potatoes,  of  course,  when  we 
get  fresh  summer  vegetables. 

"Onions. —  Cost  of  seed,  one  cent;  length  of  row, 
ten  feet.  Sown  on  March  31  and  transplanted 
May  26.  This  gave  a  sufficient  supply  for  season- 
ing, which  was  all  that  could  be  expected  from  a 
ten-foot  row.  The  last  of  the  crop  was  pulled  the 
end  of  August  and  kept  in  the  cellar  until  used 
some  time  in  October. 

"Parsley. —  Cost  of  seed,  one  cent;  length  of 
row,  ten  feet.  By  a  little  management  the  parsley 
season  was  extended  throughout  the  entire  year. 
In  March  some  roots  were  transplanted  from  the 
window  garden,  and  some  thriving  young  plants 


74  GARDEN  PROFITS 

that  had  wintered  outdoors  were  moved  into  place; 
between  them  seed  was  sown  to  give  a  succession 
crop  when  the  year-old  plants  had  run  their  course. 
Outdoor  pickings  were  made  from  March  3 1  to  No- 
vember 1 8,  and  by  potting  some  of  the  young  plants 
in  November  we  had  a  house  supply  for  all  winter. 

" Peas. —  Cost  of  seed,  twenty- two  cents;  length 
of  row,  thirty  feet  for  early;  twenty-eight  feet  for 
late.  In  order  to  get  the  longest  season  of  peas 
from  the  least  outlay  of  ground,  we  sowed  the  ear- 
liest kind  on  March  31  and  a  late  sort  on  April  28. 
The  former  bore  from  June  8  to  24,  and  the  latter 
from  July  3  to  28. 

"Carrots. —  Cost  of  seed,  one  cent;  length  of 
row,  twenty  feet.  They  had  a  very  long  season. 
Seed  was  sown  on  April  i.  By  June  9  the  roots 
were  three  inches  or  more  long;  the  last  was  pulled 
on  October  30.  As  with  the  onions,  these  were 
planted  for  seasoning,  but  the  thinnings  gave  us 
several  dishes  of  tender,  young  carrots.  The  usual 
order  of  things  was  reversed.  Thinning  was  delayed 
until  the  largest  were  of  usable  size,  when  they  were 
pulled  and  successive  thinnings  continued  as  the 
remainder  grew,  until  the  plants  stood  six  inches 
apart.  These  were  left  to  mature.  In  this  way  we 
managed  to  get  nearly  a  hundred  carrots  to  use 
young,  that  would  otherwise  have  been  destroyed, 
and  all  without  trespassing  on  the  permanent  row. 
If  you  have  never  enjoyed  the  pleasure  of  eating 
very  young  carrots,  do  not  fail  to  make  the  trial 
this  year. 

"Chard. —  Cost  of  seed,  two  cents;  length  of  row, 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  75 

ten  feet.  A  sowing  on  April  I  gave  us  greens  by 
the  middle  of  June  and  stalks  a  week  later.  At  the 
end  of  August,  after  the  crop  was  past,  the  roots 
were  pulled  out,  as  their  room  was  more  valuable 
than  their  company. 

" Lettuce. —  Cost  of  seed,  two  cents;  length  of  row, 
ten  feet.  This  gave  us  more  than  a  hundred  plants. 
As  soon  as  they  reached  transplantable  size,  we  set 
out  sixty  plants  along  the  Lima  bean  row,  leaving 
forty  in  the  original  row.  This  was  rather  crowded 
for  a  lo-foot  row,  but  as  the  first  heads  were  gathered 
while  still  quite  small  there  was  space  for  the  others 
to  spread.  Well-developed  heads  were  ready  by 
June  1 6  from  the  April  12  sowing.  They  were  so 
tender  that  they  fell  apart  in  the  handling,  and  the 
flavor  and  quality  were  excellent. 

"Beets. —  Cost  of  seeds,  two  cents;  length  of 
row,  twenty  feet.  Sowed  April  12,  and  less  than  two 
months  later  we  were  pulling  young  roots  the  size 
of  plums.  These  thinnings  were  good  eating  and 
they  left  space  for  the  others  to  spread,  as  they  at- 
tained full  size,  during  the  month  following. 

"Corn. —  Cost  of  seed,  fifteen  cents;  length  of  row, 
thirty  feet,  early;  seven  hills,  late.  The  first  plant- 
ing, May  8,  came  up  so  thickly  that  we  transplanted 
all  that  could  be  accommodated  on  another  part 
of  the  grounds,  and  still  had  a  quantity  of  thinnings 
to  feed  to  the  horse.  The  original  row  yielded 
seventy  ears  and  the  transplanted  hills  about  fifty 
more.  The  bearing  season  lasted  a  month,  from  the 
end  of  July  to  the  end  of  August.  The  late  corn  was 
sowed  July  i,  where  the  potatoes  had  been  taken 


76  GARDEN  PROFITS 

out,  and  gave  us  two  dozen  ears  about  the  middle 
of  September. 

"Wax  Beans. —  Cost  of  seed,  five  cents;  length  of 
rows,  forty  feet.  The  early  planting  was  made 
May  20,  and  was  in  bearing  from  July  8  till  past 
the  middle  of  August,  and  after  that,  scattering  till 
frost.  The  late  planting  was  made  August  19  and, 
as  bad  luck  would  have  it,  had  just  reached  the 
pickable  stage  when  frost  destroyed  it. 

"Bush  Lima  Beans. —  Cost  of  seed,  one  cent; 
length  of  rows  twenty  feet.  The  cost  of  this  seed 
is  not  worth  computing,  as  the  plants  were  thinnings 
from  another  part  of  the  garden  and  would  have 
been  destroyed  had  we  not  transplanted  them. 

"Pole  String  Beans. —  Cost  of  seed,  three  cents; 
length  of  row,  twelve  feet.  These  did  themselves 
credit.  Sowed  June  3,  they  had  reached  the  top 
of  a  6-foot  trellis  by  the  middle  of  July  and  began 
to  bear  a  week  later.  They  did  not  yield  any  large 
pickings  until  the  middle  of  August,  but  after  that 
covered  themselves  with  glory,  and  on  September 
6  a  picking  of  three  hundred  pods  —  about  four 
quarts  —  was  made.  After  that  time  they  bore  in 
small  quantities  until  frost. 

"Pole  Lima  Beans. —  Cost  of  seed,  eight  cents; 
length  of  row  thirty  feet.  These  were  sowed  on 
the  east  side  of  a  trellis,  the  west  side  of  which  was 
covered  with  pea  vines.  The  latter  had  a  month's 
start  and  by  the  time  they  were  out  of  the  way  the 
beans  were  ready  to  occupy  the  whole  trellis.  We 
sowed  an  early  kind  on  May  25,  and  they  came  up 
so  thickly  that  we  transplanted  about  two  dozen 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  77 

young  plants.  Although  it  was  done  after  they  had 
several  inches  growth  of  vine,  they  flourished  and 
more  than  paid  for  the  risk.  The  Lima  crop  ripened 
August  I  and  continued  to  yield  till  frost. 

"Cucumbers. —  Cost  of  seed,  one  cent;  four  hills. 
These  replaced  the  early  peas.  They  were  started 
in  another  spot  and  transplanted  when  the  ground 
was  ready  for  them.  Naturally  they  were  somewhat 
late,  but  otherwise  were  all  that  could  be  desired. 
Two  kinds  were  grown,  the  Japanese  climbing  and 
the  lemon. 

"Squash. —  Cost  of  seed,  one  cent;  two  hills.  The 
history  of  the  squash  is  the  same  as  that  of  the 
cucumbers,  as  they  were  started  and  transplanted 
to  cover  another  portion  of  the  vacated  pea  trellis. 

"  Tomatoes. —  Cost  of  seed,  one  cent;  ten  plants. 
The  tomatoes  were  kept  in  flower  pots  until  the  pea 
ground  was  cleared  when  they  were  set  out  to  fill 
the  remaining  third  of  the  trellis.  Five  plants  had 
already  been  transplanted  to  the  pole  bean  trellis 
on  June  2,  and  these  later  ones,  moved  on  June 
20,  made  the  total  eleven  plants.  There  were  four 
varieties;  Freedom,  Ponderosa,  Golden  Sunrise, 
and  a  solitary  plant  of  Yellow  Cherry  on  the  trellis. 
All  proved  satisfactory  and  gave  good  yields.  From 
the  eleven  plants  we  gathered  more  than  two 
hundred  large  tomatoes  and  nearly  two  hundred  of 
the  Yellow  Cherry.  Green  ones,  used  for  pickles, 
are  included  in  the  number.  The  five  tomatoes 
on  the  pea  trellis  bore  almost  forty  pounds  of  fruit. 
We  extended  the  season  by  keeping  some  plants 
under  cover  when  frost  threatened. 


78  GARDEN  PROFITS 

"The  exact  return  from  our  15x30  ft.  garden 

will  be  better  appreciated  if  stated  in  tabular 
form.  We  had  the  greatest  value  from  the  garden  in 
August,  naturally,  and  the  returns  before  May  and 
after  October  were  nominal. 

TOTAL   YIELD,    RECKONED    BY   MONTHS 

May.  —  Radishes $  .20 

June.  —  Lettuce  over  a  dollar,  peas  and  carrots  also 

plenty 2-95 

July.  —  Peas,  wax  beans  and  lettuce,  the  chief  crops  .  2.10 

August.  —  Corn,  Limas  and  chard  bring  up  the  total  .  3.30 
September.  —  Cucumbers,  corn  and  squash  make  over 

half  this  amount  2 . 70 

October.  —  Mostly  tomatoes .80 

Before  May  and  after  October.  —  Parsley  ....  .50 

Total $12.55 

TOTAL  YIELD   RECKONED    BY  VEGETABLES 

Potatoes $  .50 

Onions .20 

Radishes .10 

Parsley .80 

Peas        i.jo 

Carrots .75 

Chard .60 

Lettuce 2.00 

Beets .50 

Corn 2.  co 

Wax  beans          .50 

Bush  Limas .30 

Pole  string  beans .60 

Pole  Limas         .65 

Cucumbers .80 

Squash .30 

Tomatoes .85 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  79 

The  *  shows  the  months  in  which  the  vegetables  were  in  use. 


VEGETABLE 

Mar. 

Apr. 

May 

June 

July 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Potato 

* 

* 

• 

* 

Onion 

* 

# 

* 

* 

Radish 

* 

Parsley 

Peas  (2  kinds) 

* 

* 

Carrots 

Chard 

* 

* 

* 

Lettuce 

* 

* 

Beets 

* 

* 

Corn  (2  kinds) 

* 

* 

Wax  beans 

* 

* 

Bush  Limas 

* 

* 

Pole  string 

beans 

t 

* 

$ 

Pole  Limas 

* 

* 

Cucumbers 

(lemon  and 

Japanese) 
Spinach 
Tomatoes 

* 

* 
* 

* 

(4  varieties) 

* 

* 

* 

* 

"Parsley  and  carrots  were  housed  for  winter  use, 
so  we  have  given  them  credit  for  bearing  during 
the  winter  months." 

COMBINING    SUCCESSION    AND    ROTATION 

Just  one  more  word  about  succession  planting  — 
do  your  best  to  combine  rotation  with  it.  That  is, 
if  a  first  crop  of  roots  is  bothered  by  the  maggot 
or  club  root,  let  the  succeeding  crop  be  one  of  beans, 
peas,  corn  or  some  vegetable  that  is  not  subject  to 
attacks  by  the  same  enemy.  This  will  not  be  difficult 


80  GARDEN  PROFITS 

if  you  get  a  clear  idea  of  the  different  groups  or 
types  of  vegetables.  These  consist  of  (i)  the  le- 
gumes, or  beans  and  peas;  (2)  the  brassicas  or 
radish,  turnip,  cabbage,  cauliflower  and  kales;  (3) 
the  cucurbits  or  gourds,  including  squash,  melon 
and  cucumber;  (4)  the  leaf  crops,  lettuce,  spinach, 
endive,  etc.;  (5)  the  heat  lovers  such  as  tomatoes, 
eggplant,  peppers;  (6)  a  few  unrelated  sorts  includ- 
ing celery,  corn,  beets,  etc.  Each  of  these  groups 
is  likely  to  have  a  disease  or  an  insect  enemy  of  its 
own,  but  these  can  usually  be  starved  out  by  fur- 
nishing only  uncongenial  food  in  the  shape  of 
vegetables  of  another  class.  Moreover  in  new  land, 
such  as  you  are  likely  to  till  in  the  backyard,  insect 
pests  are  uncommon  and  probably  will  not  trouble 
you.  An  excellent  arrangement  of  this  sort,  as 
well  as  a  simple  system  for  keeping  track  of  it  is 
included  in  the  management  of  another  successful 
garden,  of  which  the  chief  features  are  worth  citing. 

The  garden  will  work  overtime  if  you  keep  up  a 
quick  succession  of  crops.  The  early  maturing 
kinds  must  be  kept  apart  from  those  requiring  the 
whole  season  in  which  to  mature,  and  the  ground 
replanted  as  the  quick-growing  crops  come  off. 
If  parsnips  or  salsify  are  planted  with  lettuce  or 
beets  the  plot  is  badly  broken  up  when  the  latter 
are  harvested,  so  that  it  never  has  a  neat  appearance 
through  the  year. 

Lettuce  can  be  planted  successionally  in  the  same 
ground,  and  the  last  crop  will  be  just  as  good  as  the 
first  so  long  as  the  ground  is  kept  fertile.  It  would 
be  foolish  to  plant  turnips  where  radishes  had  been 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  81 

harvested.  The  same  maggot  affects  both,  and, 
although  the  first  crop  was  but  slightly  touched, 
the  second  one  might  be  rendered  practically  use- 
less, as  the  insects  increase  very  rapidly.  Potatoes 
and  beets  are  attacked  by  the  same  scab,  so  the  one 
should  not  follow  the  other.  None  of  the  brassica 
(cabbage)  family  should  be  used  to  succeed  one 
another,  as  the  same  insect  attacks  them  all. 

A    SUCCESSION    PLANTING    SCHEME 

The  succession  arrangements  for  a  garden  are 
told  in  the  following  planting  scheme  by  plots  in 
the  actual  record  of  a  recent  season. 

Plot  No.  i. —  Planted  with  parsnips  and  salsify 
April  15.  No  succession  crop,  as  these  take  the 
whole  season  to  mature. 

Plot  No.  2 —  Lettuce  and  radish.  The  former 
set  out  from  the  greenhouse  on  April  15,  radish  sown 
on  April  6.  Both  harvested  May  28.  Eggplant 
and  peppers  planted  June  I  occupy  the  ground 
the  rest  of  the  season. 

Plot  No.  3. —  Spinach  harvested  June  10.  String 
beans  planted  June  12  will  be  harvested  August 
14.  Sow  Yellow  Stone  turnips  August  16  for  winter 
use. 

Plot  No.  4. —  String  beans  planted  April  18 
are  harvested  June  28.  Sow  to  winter  carrots 
July  i. 

Plot  No.  5.  —  Early  corn  planted  April  17  is 
harvested  July  23.  Planted  to  winter  celery  July  25. 

Plot  No.  6. —  Early  peas  sown  April  6,  harvested 
June  1 8.  Sow  late  corn  June  20. 


*2  GARDEN  PROFITS 

Plot  No.  7. — Early  beets  sown  April  8;  har- 
vested June  16.  Lettuce  transplanted  June  18; 
harvested  August  i.  Sow  string  beans  August  3. 

Plot  No.  8. —  Lettuce  sown  April   8;  harvested 


Salsify  or  vegetable  oyster.  It  Is  surprising 
how  many  households  do  not  know  this  delicious, 
easy-to-grow.  vegetable.  Treat  it  just  as  you 
would  parsnips 

June  10.     Beets  sown  June  13;  harvested  August 
10.     Last  sowing  of  corn  July  13. 

Plot  No.  9. —  Early  carrots  sown  April  8,  har- 
vested June  25.     Planted  in  cabbage  June  27. 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  83 

Plot  No.  10. —  Early  cabbage  planted  April  14; 
harvested  June  15.  Purple-top  turnips  planted 
June  17;  harvested  August  18.  Sown  in  winter 
beets  August  20. 

Plot  No.  ii. —  Early  turnips  sown  April  6;  har- 


Kohlrabi— easier  to  grow  than  turnips: 
It  matures  quicker,  is  more  tender  and 
delicate,  and  is  practically  free  from  in- 
sects and  diseases 


vested  June  15.  Lettuce  sown  June  18;  harvested 
August  20.  Sown  spinach  August  22. 

Plot  No.  12. —  Peas  sown  April  20;  harvested 
June  23.  Endive  sown  July  2. 

Plot  No.  13. —  Corn  sown  May  10;  harvested 
August  15.  Sown  lettuce  August  17. 


84  GARDEN  PROFITS 

This  kind  of  succession  kept  the  ground  busy, 
there  being  allowed  only  enough  time  between 
planting  properly  to  till  the  ground.  It  was  dug 
over,  trenched  and  fertilized  for  each  new  crop. 


Swiss  chard  — a  near  relative  to  the  beet  — 
though  no  one  would  guess  it.  According  to 
how  you  cook  it.  it  exhibits  the  good  points  of 
spinach,  cabbage,  beet-greens  and  kale 

There  were  about  three  crops  of  each  throughout  the 
season.  The  usual  thing  for  the  amateur  is  to  have 
only  one  crop,  and  if  he  succeeds  in  getting  a  second 
he  feels  quite  proud. 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  85 

In  Plot  No.  i,  mentioned  above,  the  wisest  plan 
would  have  been  to  leave  the  roots  in  the  ground 
until  hit  by  a  good  stiff  freeze.  The  flavor  of  pars- 
nips and  oyster  plant  is  greatly  improved  by  frost, 
as  is  also  that  of  kale. 

EXPLORING    THE    UNKNOWN:      A    PLEA    FOR 
UNFAMILIAR    VEGETABLES 

And  speaking  of  oyster  plant  and  kale,  don't  fail 
to  grow  these  vegetables  even  if  they  are  strangers. 
Or  at  any  rate  give  them  a  trial,  and  find  out  whether 
you  like  them.  I  have  been  surprised  to  find  how 
little  known  the  delicious  salsify  or  oyster  plant  is 
in  some  places.  Kohlrabi  is  another  "novelty," 
which  ought  to  be  given  a  regular  place  in  the  gar- 
den. It  is  more  delicate  than  the  turnip,  matures 
more  rapidly,  and,  having  its  fleshy  body  above  the 
ground  is  practically  free  from  insect  injury.  Swiss 
chard  is  a  welcome  change  from  spinach  and  cab- 
bage, and  is  just  as  easy  to  grow.  Of  course,  I 
do  not  suggest  letting  these  newer  plants  crowd  out 
the  old  standbys,  without  which  the  garden  would  be 
as  a  song  without  music;  at  the  same  time  I  do  urge 
you  to  find  some  place  for  them  —  to  make  a  little 
experimental  or  testing-out  bed  in  the  garden,  where 
you  can  develop  new  treats  for  an  educated  taste. 

BOYS  —  AND  GIRLS AND  GARDENS 

The  garden  is  the  place  to  keep  busy  the  boys  and 
girls,  too,  where  they  can  make  some  pocket  money 
without  having  to  sell  papers  or  dig  dandelions  out  of 
the  neighbors'  lawns.  Witness  the  children's  gardens 


86  GARDEN  PROFITS 

that  are  being  instituted  in  many  cities,  and  get  some 
one  who  is  directly  interested  in  one  of  them  to 
tell  you  whether  they  are  welcomed  or  not.  Nature 
Study  is  one  of  the  biggest  advances  in  modern 
educational  methods.  You  can  provide  material 
for  this  work  for  your  own  children,  and  gain  at  the 
same  time  all  the  financial  benefits  that  I  have 
spoken  of  on  other  pages.  Wouldn't  you  like  to 
talk  to  the  1 4-year  old  boy  who  cleared  nearly 
$50  from  half  an  acre?  At  any  rate  you  can  hear 
his  story  and  I'd  not  be  surprised  if  you  were  to 
profit  by  it. 


PRODUCED  $70 

"My  garden  is  half  an  acre,  sloping  slightly  to 
the  south,  and  I  do  all  the  work  myself  except 
plowing  and  hauling  the  manure.  The  soil  is  a 
rich,  sandy  loam.  After  sending  my  order  to  the 
seedsman  I  had  manure  hauled  and  spread  all  over 
the  garden  to  be  plowed  under.  On  April  5  the 
garden  was  plowed,  harrowed,  and  the  potato  rows 
marked  out.  I  then  planted  my  peas,  beets,  early 
potatoes,  spinach,  onion  sets  and  onion  seed.  I 
worked  in  the  garden  every  day  after  school  and 
soon  had  it  looking  tip-top.  About  the  first  of 
May  I  planted  all  the  other  vegetables  that  could 
not  be  planted  early,  such  as  corn,  beans,  late 
potatoes,  summer  squash,  early  tomato  plants, 
cabbage  plants,  carrots  and  pumpkins.  I  had  the 
asparagus  and  rhubarb  to  supply  early  vegetables. 
I  picked  my  first  spinach  on  May  12  and  my  first 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  87 

peas  on  May  28.  On  June  27  I  picked  corn,  which 
was  'Peep  o'  Day,"  and  certainly  was  sweet. 
From  May  15  until  October  my  garden  supplied 
a  family  of  nine  with  vegetables.  I  dug  my  first 
potatoes  on  June  29,  and  they  were  beauties  — no 
scabby  ones  and  very  few  little  ones.  I  got  fifteen 
bushels.  The  following  table  shows  my  gain, 
actual  sales: 

Tomatoes,  20  bushels  at  35  cents  per  bushel       .      .  $  7.00 

Potatoes,  15  bushels  at  60  cents  per  bushel         .      .  9.00 

Onions,  4  bushels  at  80  cents  per  bushel        .      .      .  3 . 20 

Peas,  6  bushels  at  80  cents  per  bushel      .      .      .      .  4.80 

Beets,  30  bunches  at  3  cents  per  bunch    ....  .90 

Asparagus,   15  bunches  at  12  cents  per  bunch     .      .  1. 80 

Rhubarb,  30  bunches  at  4  cents  per  bunch    .      .      .  1.20 

Lettuce,  50  heads  at  3  cents  per  head       .      .      .      .  1.50 

Celery,  200  bunches  at  4  cents  per  bunch      .      .      .  8.00 

Beans,  24  bushels  at  40  cents  per  bushel        .      .      .  9.60 

Spinach         .70 

Squash,  20  at  3  cents  each         .60 

Pumpkins,  14  at  5  cents  each .70 

Eggplant,  6  at  5  cents  each .30 

Peppers,  2  packages  at  20  cents  each        ....  .40 

Carrots,  2^  bushels  at  60  cents  per  bushel           .      .  i .  50 

Radishes,  6  bunches  at  2  cents  per  bunch      ...  .12 

Turnips,  3  bushels  at  20  cents  per  bushel      ...  .60 

Corn,  90  dozen  at  18  cents  per  dozen       .      .      .      .  16.20 

Lima  beans,  2  bushels  at  80  cents  per  bushel     .      .  i .  60 

Cabbage,  60  head  at  3  cents  per  head      .      .      .      .  1.80 

Total $71 .53, 


Cost  of  seeds £10.28 

Cost  of  plowing 2.50 

Cost  of  manure 5.00 

Cost  of  celery  plants 4.00 

Total $21.78 


88 


GARDEN  PROFITS 


STRAWBERRY  BED       CUC 

UMBER  PATCH    ASPARAGUS  BCD 

2   ROW 

S  GRAPEVINES 

CARROTS 

PEAS  2  ROWS,  IS! 

;ROP     CABBAGE  2*2  CROP 

BEETS 

14  ftovvt: 

"v°  O/V/OV   ~£  7 

2  ROWv 

5  ONION  SEED. 

EARL 

V  CABBACit 

EARLN 

'  TOMATOES 

IST  CROP  2  ROWS 

BEANS           222  CROP  BEETS  . 

g™  CROP  G  Raw*  CELEftv 

V/S   V^ORN 
..T^^^^lifc  

SUMMED  SQUASH 

The  half-acre  plot  on  which  the  f  ourteen-year-olfl 
gardener  raised  over  $70.00  worth  of  crops 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  89 


Total  sales 4  .  $71 .  52 


Total  expenses .      .      .      .      21.78 


Net  gam #49-74 


"The  prices  represent  what  I  sold  the  vegetables 
for  to  my  mother  and  neighbors.  I  raised  all  my 
own  tomato,  cabbage  and  pepper  plants  in  a  6x8 
coldframe  that  I  made.  The  following  table  shows 
when  I  planted  the  vegetables : 

March  10,  (in  coldframe). — Tomato  seed  (Earli- 
est of  All);  cabbage  (Flat  Dutch). 

April  5. — Two  rows  peas  (Earliest  of  All);  one 
row  spinach;  one  row  Market  Gardener's  beets. 

April  6.  —  Four  rows  onion  sets  (Prizetaker) ;  two 
rows  onion  seed;  twelve  rows  Early  Rose  potatoes. 

April  29. —  One  row  cabbage  plants;  one  row 
tomato  plants. 

May  i. — Two  rows  beans;  one  row  corn  (Peep 
o'  Day) ;  six  rows  carrots. 

May  2.  —  Summer  Squash;  twenty-eight  hills 
White  Spine  cucumber. 

May  4.  — One  row  pepper  plants;  one  row  beans. 

May  5. — Two  rows  of  corn. 

May  7.  —  Four  rows  tomatoes  (two  rows  Stone, 
two  rows  Earliest  of  All). 

May  14.  —  Four  rows  corn  (Country  Gentle- 
man). 

June  8.  — Two  rows  late  cabbage;  one  row  lettuce. 

July  2. — Two  rows  beets. 

July  18.  —  Six  rows  celery  (White  Plume). 

July  19.  —  Six  rows  turnips  (Purple  Top). 


90  GARDEN  PROFITS 

August  4.  —  Corn  patch  sown  in  crimson  clover 
to  be  plowed  under  for  next  year's  potatoes." 

From  another  garden  of  some  700  square  feet, 
from  which  was  obtained  a  profit  of  over  $24,  I  have 
learned  a  simple  method  of  outwitting  the  cutworm 
family.  If  they  begin  to  bother  your  garden,  get 
strips  of  tin  or  stiff,  strong  paper  about  six  inches 
wide  and  some  50  inches  long.  Bend  these  into 
circles  and  place  them  over  your  melon,  squash  and 


Protecting  hills  of  melons  or 
squash  from  cutworms  with  pieces 
of  tin.  cardboard  or  stiff  paper 

cucumber  hills,  forcing  them  into  the  soil  for  about 
two  inches.  Flying  insects  could  be  rendered  harm- 
less by  throwing  a  piece  of  old  wire  or  cloth  netting 
over  the  tops  of  these  fences.  These  screens  can 
be  removed  when  the  vines  grow  over  the  fences; 
the  latter  do  no  harm  if  left  all  season  and  often 
spoil  the  attempts  of  late  appearing  worms^ 

THE  THOROUGH  GARDENER  AND  HIS  REWARD 

Another  bug-evading  policy  practised  by  some  is 
to  plant  a  few  beans  or  unimportant  seeds  near  the 
valuable  crops,  and  by  leaving  these  unsp rayed, 
give  the  insects  something  to  feed  on,  so  that  they 
will  leave  the  others  untouched.  Personally,  I  don't 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  91 

care  for  this  bargaining  method  —  I  had  rather  wipe 
out  the  insect  enemies  with  arsenate  of  lead  and  the 
oil-emulsions,  particularly  since  the  latter  are  so 
easily  used  and  so  effective.  But  it  is  a  significant 
fact  that  in  nearly  every  well-tilled,  well-cared- 
for  garden,  the  enemies,  both  insects  and  diseases 
are  discovered  at  all  only  with  considerable  effort. 
Do  you  draw  any  conclusions  from  this,  or  make 
any  resolutions? 

THE  NEED  OF  GARDEN  RECORDS 

No  farmer  that  you  ever  heard  of,  or  anyone  else, 
and  who  was  a  real  farmer,  successful,  progressive, 
businesslike,  ever  tried  to  do  without  detailed  re- 
cords of  each  crop.  Now  since  you  are  going  to 
turn  farmer  on  a  small  area,  where  every  condition 
is  favorable  for  far  more  intensive  methods  than 
he  can  hope  for,  what  excuse  is  there  for  your  not 
keeping  a  record?  And,  in  proportion,  a  more  in- 
tensive record  than  the  general  farmer  can  expect 
to  keep?  Not  one  memory  in  five  hundred  is  able 
to  keep  track  of  the  dates  of  plowing,  cultivating, 
sowing,  spraying,  transplanting,  pruning  and  harvest- 
ing every  crop  in  the  garden.  Without  such  a 
history,  your  efficiency  next  year,  your  chance  to 
increase  your  results  and  improve  the  plan  of  your 
garden  will  be  reduced  tremendously. 

CAN    YOU    DEVISE    A    BETTER    ONE? 

To  look  at  it  from  the  other  direction,  if  you  do 
keep  a  garden  diary,  every  year  will  bring  you  more 


92  GARDEN  PROFITS 

bountiful  crops,  better,  more  perfect  vegetables, 
and  reduced  labor  programs  and  expense  accounts. 
One  of  the  best  proofs  of  this,  and  also  one  of  the 
simplest,  most  practical,  and  comprehensive  systems 
of  keeping  records,  that  I  have  ever  seen,  has  now 
become  an  institution  in  the  practices  of  its  ori- 
ginator. I  say  it  is  the  best  I've  seen,  but  I'm  open 
to  conviction  if  you  can  make  use  of  it,  and  invent 
some  improvements.  Notice  the  returns  that  one 
season  produced  where  this  method  is  used.  Six 
hundred  per  cent,  from  one-tenth  of  an  acre! 

A    VEST-POCKET    GARDEN    RECORD    SYSTEM 

"The  reasons  why  ordinary  systems  fail  are  two. 
(i)  You  can't  get  a  big  yield  without  fertilizing  and 
there  is  no  way  to  learn  how  to  fertilize  except  by 
experimenting.  (2)  You  can't  economize  space  un- 
less your  crops  follow  one  another  without  the  loss 
of  a  day  and  there  is  no  way  to  get  the  necessary 
dates  except  by  experimenting. 

"My  garden  contains  about  one-tenth  of  an  acre 
and  it  grows  all  the  vegetables  (excepting  late 
potatoes)  needed  for  a  family  of  five  adult  persons. 
Last  year  was  the  fourth  of  its  existence,  and  each 
year  has  shown  an  increased  yield  which  was  made 
possible  only  by  keeping  a  record  of  each  year's 
work  and  making  use  of  this  in  planning  the  suc- 
ceeding year's  garden. 

"The  garden's  daily  progress  is  recorded  in  a 
small  book  (2^  x  4^  in.)  that  can  be  carried  in 
the  vest  pocket,  and  is  always  handy.  The  pages 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS 


93 


are  arranged  in  the  form  of  a  table,  usually  with 
only  one  kind  of  a  vegetable  on  a  page,  yet  so  ar- 
ranged that  the  same  book  can  be  used  three 
years.  The  entries  are  made  in  pencil  and  at  the 
end  of  the  year  they  are  copied  in  ink  into  a  much 


Variety 


\ 


PEAS 
Variety 


Two  sample  pages  from  the  record  book  by  means  of  which  closer 
cropping  was  made  possible 

larger  book  —  one  that  will  last  for  a  number  of 
years,  so  that  the  records  for  a  series  of  years  may 
be  seen  at  a  glance.  Both  books  are  indexed. 

"Sample  pages  are  reproduced  in  part  here- 
with. The  first  is  the  record  of  an  early  tomato. 
The  page  number  appears  in  the  upper  left  hand 
corner.  In  the  first  column  the  variety  of  the  vege- 


94  GARDEN  PROFITS 

table  is  placed.     Abbreviations  are  used  to  mark 
the  columns  as  follows: 

Sow  —  Meaning  the  date  seed  was  sown. 
Sp. —  The  date  seed  sprouted. 

3.  Pot  —  The  date  plants  were  taken  from  flat  and  put  into 
3-inch  pots. 

4.  Pot  — Date  of  shifting  into  4-inch  pots 
Pit. —  The  date  of  planting  outdoors. 
Bios.  The  date  of  first  blossoms. 

T. —  The  time  elapsed  from  seed-sowing  to  blossom. 

Ripen. —  The  date  of  ripening. 

T.  Bios. —  The  time  from  blossom  to  ripening. 

T.  Seed  —  The  time  from  seed  to  ripening. 

Done  —  The  date  of  last  picking. 

No.  Pits. —  The  number  of  plants  of  the  variety. 

A  space  on  the  extreme  right  is  left  for  remarks. 

"Immediately  below  the  line  on  which  these 
records  are  kept  is  one  for  yield.  The  mark,  four 
upright  strokes  crossed  by  another,  represents 
five  tomatoes  picked:  the  fraction  7/25  is  the  date 
placed  in  the  row,  July  25,  and  is  inserted  to  show 
how  the  crop  came  on.  After  September  10  tomatoes 
were  measured.  In  the  record  of  the  peas  the  last 
column  is  marked  L  and  gives  the  length  of  the  row 
in  feet.  In  recording  vegetables  by  measure  the 
X  is  used  to  represent  one  peck,  each  leg  being 
one-quarter  of  a  peck.  Each  vegetable  has  a 
table  arranged  on  this  general  basis  to  suit  its  needs. 

"By  keeping  a  record  I  am  able  to  estimate,  al- 
most to  a  day,  when  anything  planted  will  be  ready 
for  use,  and  also  —  and  this  is  very  important  — 
when  it  can  be  cleared  away  to  make  room  for  a 
succession  crop.  Although  some  things  planted 
may  be  almost  failures,  yet  the  total  value  of  the 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  95 

yield  from  a  small  garden  may  still  be  large  by 
careful  planning,  planting  another  crop  as  soon 
as  one  is  cleared  away.  In  other  words,  do  not  let 
the  ground  remain  idle.  By  this  means,  too,  the 
garden  is  always  presentably  neat  and  in  order, 
never  an  eyesore  with  old  plants,  vines,  etc.,  dis- 
figuring it. 

"An  almost  perfect  succession  is  the  total  result 
of  my  three  years'  records.  The  plan  on  page 
97  shows  that  the  larger  part  of  the  garden  yielded 
two  crops.  A  4-foot  space  along  each  fence  line 
contains  a  row  of  berry  bushes  planted  last  year 
and  set  eighteen  inches  from  the  fence;  also  a  shallow 
gutter  fifteen  inches  wide  used  as  a  path,  which 
also  gives  room  in  which  to  turn,  but  may  be  short- 
ened if  necessary. 

"At  the  rear  there  is  a  row  of  rhubarb  plants  set 
eighteen  inches  from  the  fence.  Two  and  a  half 
feet  in  front  of  this  is  a  row  of  asparagus,  the  roots 
set  eighteen  inches  apart;  another  row  of  asparagus 
is  to  be  planted  two  and  a  half  feet  from  the  present 
one.  The  remaining  sixty-two  feet  is  divided  into 
two  unequal  portions.  All  vegetables  of  the  same 
family  are  grown  in  the  same  portion,  the  position 
of  these  portions  being  changed  each  year,  so  as 
to  get  a  rotation. 

"  In  deciding  on  the  distance  between  both  rows 
and  plants  the  effort  has  been  to  give  the  plants 
room  properly  to  develop,  yet  to  have  them  so 
that  when  grown  the  foliage  will  completely  shade 
the  ground,  and  thus  lesson  the  labor  necessary 
for  their  care.  Paths  one  foot  wide  are  left  between 


96  GARDEN  PROFITS 

the  beds  of  small  vegetables,  so  that  the  beds  can 
be  seen  to,  the  crops  gathered  without  unnecessary 
trampling  of  the  ground. 


EARLY  PLANTS  WITHOUT  A  HOTBED 

"All  such  plants  as  lettuce,  early  cabbage,  parsley, 
eggplant,  pepper  and  tomato  are  grown  from  seed; 
the  tender  ones  in  the  windows  of  the  house,  the 
hardy  ones  in  the  laundry,  which  has  sash  on  two 
sides,  but  no  means  of  heating.  After  March  7, 
the  hardy  plants  do  very  well  here;  on  cold  nights 
they  are  covered.  These  home-grown  plants  are 
better  than  the  wilted  bought  ones;  also  I  know  they 
are  of  the  desired  variety,  and  for  a  very  small  out- 
lay in  cash  I  get  a  great  number.  The  early  plants 
grown  in  the  house  last  year  were  six  eggplants, 
sixty-eight  tomatoes  and  fifteen  peppers;  in  the 
laundry,  thirty  plants  of  cabbage,  twenty-four  of 
parsley,  and  over  two  hundred  lettuce. 

"The  tomatoes  are  grown  on  an  upright  trellis. 
The  plants  are  set  eighteen  inches  apart  in  the  row, 
and  trimmed  to  two  stems,  all  side  shoots  being  cut 
off  as  soon  as  they  start.  The  first  ripe  tomatoes 
were  picked  July  2.  Three  varieties  of  early 
tomatoes  were  grown,  six  plants  of  each.  Chalk's 
Jewel  gave  me  the  greatest  results  out  of  the  five 
varieties  that  I  have  tried  during  the  last  three  years. 
The  scarlet  fruits  are  smooth,  solid,  medium  sized, 
and  of  excellent  quality.  For  late  tomatoes,  Stone 
and  Matchless  were  grown.  Both  are  excellent; 
it  is  difficult  to  choose  between  them. 


r 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  97 

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On  this  ingenious  chart,  solid  lines  are  rows;  dotted  lines  mark  suc- 
cessive crops  when  spacing  was  changed:  marks  on  lines  show  dis- 
tances between  plants.  The  names  and  dates  of  first  plantings  are  in 
the  left-hand  column;  those  of  successive  plantings  in  the  right-hand 
column 

"Previous  to  the  first  killing  frost  all  green  toma- 
toes were  picked  from  the  vines,  the  small  ones  used 


98  GARDEN  PROFITS 

for  pickles,  and  the  large  ones  stored  in  a  dark  place 
where  they  kept  ripening  until  December  18. 

"The  first  early  cabbage  was  ready  for  use  July 
IO.  I  had  twenty-five  good  heads  from  thirty  plants 
set  out.  Kale  follows  early  cabbage,  and  is  trans- 
planted into  the  rows  as  fast  as  a  cabbage  is  removed, 
and  set  so  as  to  come  between  the  cabbage  plants. 
Two  sowings  of  kale  are  made,  one  about  June  6 
and  another  July  6,  so  as  to  always  have  young 
plants  ready.  Kale  needs  frost  to  make  it  good. 
It  was  used  until  February  and  the  young  growth, 
made  in  the  spring  before  the  ground  was  plowed, 
was  also  used.  The  early  potatoes  were  dug 
July  20. 

BIG    RETURNS    FROM    EIGHT    DOLLARS 

"All  my  crops  are  planted  in  straight  rows,  for 
easy  cultivation  with  a  wheel  hoe.  In  fact  I  could 
not  take  care  of  this  sized  garden  without  that  tool, 
as  all  the  work  is  done  by  myself  either  in  the 
morning  before  going  to  work  or  in  the  evening 
after  returning  home. 

CUTTING    DOWN    SEED    EXPENSE 

"The  annual  cost  of  seeds  used  is  really  very 
small,  for  taking  advantage  of  the  fact  that  their 
vitality  extends  over  a  period  varying  from  one  to 
ten  years,  they  are  bought  in  larger  quantities  than 
needed  for  one  year  —  indeed  in  many  cases  this 
is  unavoidable,  and  instead  of  throwing  out  the 


SUCCESSFUL  GARDENS  99 

remains  of  a  single  packet  of  seed,  the  surplus  is 
kept  on  hand.  Thus,  for  example,  my  Chalk's 
Jewel  tomato  has  been  grown  from  the  same  packet 
of  seed  for  three  years  and  germination  was  as  strong 
last  year  as  it  was  at  first.  The  yearly  average  seed 
expense  is  kept  below  three  dollars  and  my  total 
outlay  in  money  is  less  than  eight  dollars,  made 
up  thus: 

COST    PER    YEAR 

Value  of  seed  used $2.82 

3  loads  of  manure  at  $0.75 2.25 

Plowing  and  harrowing 1 . 50 

50  Ibs.  bone  meal I -IS 

Total $7.72 

MORE    THAN    6<X>    PER    CENT.    RETURN 

"The  produce  of  the  garden  was  estimated  (by 
careful  records  kept  all  the  season),  to  be  $51.59. 
This  does  not  include  such  items  as  the  herbs, 
parsley,  etc.,  a  number  of  vegetables  of  which 
no  estimate  can  be  made,  such  as  kale,  New  Zea- 
land spinach,  green  tomatoes  picked  before  frost, 
five  rows  of  spinach,  and  a  large  quantity  of  rhubarb 
which  was  freely  used  and  of  which  I  have  fifteen 
quarts  canned  for  winter  use." 

HOW    TO    MAKE    THE     GARDEN-PLAN    PRACTICAL 

The  accompanying  plan  on  page  97   illustrates 
one   method  of  arranging  for  several  crops  on  one 


ioo  GARDEN  PROFITS 

space.  Another  way  to  accomplish  this,  is  to  make 
two  maps  or  plans,  exactly  alike,  indicating  the  rows, 
distances,  etc.  On  the  first  you  can  enter  the  first 
and  all-season  crops;  on  the  second,  the  succeeding 
or  companion  crops.  You  can  thereby  show  exactly 
the  same  areas,  occupied  by  two  crops  without  con- 
fusing or  crowding  the  writing. 


COMPLETE  CULTURAL  DIRECTIONS  IN  TABULAR 
FORM 

I  have  included  in  Chapter  V,  the  details  in 
regard  to  all  the  crops  for  each  month  of  the  year. 
From  this  and  from  whatever  sources  you  may  elect 
to  use,  such  as  catalogues,  your  own  experiences, 
etc.,  you  will  probably  construct  a  planting  table 
of  your  own. 

But  for  the  novice  who  has  yet  no  experience, 
and  who  has  no  objection  to  getting  complete 
information  from  one  book,  I  add  a  detailed  plant- 
ing table  for  vegetables.  Follow  it  closely  as  long 
as  you  can  evolve  no  better,  quicker,  more  efficient 
method.  But  when  you  find  that  you  can  plant 
a  little  earlier  than  is  prescribed,  or  a  little  closer; 
when  you  discover  a  more  convenient  way  to  train 
tomatoes,  or  to  blanch  celery,  then  make  the  most 
of  your  improvements,  and  help  others  to  do  the 
same.  Leave  the  ranks  of  those  that  follow 
and  are  helped,  to  become  one  of  the  leaders,  the 
teachers,  the  helpers.  The  step  is  not  so  long. 
You  can  make  it.  Try. 


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A  Planting  Table  For  a 


REQUIRED 

PLANT 

VEGETABLES 

| 

1- 

Is 

Amount 

•3 

•si 

II 

What 

Where 

When 

I 

i! 

1 

Beans,  Bush 

30 

18 

ipt. 

Seed 

Row  6 

Apr.  20- 

May  15 

Beans,  Pole 

30 

IO 

18 

i  pt. 

Seed 

4  in.  from 

May  20- 

Row  7 

June  10 

Beets  (i) 
Beets  (2) 

12 
12 

12 
12 

i  oz. 

Seed 
Seed 

Row  la 
Row  ib 

Apr.   1-12 
May  15 

Cabbage 

30 

15 

18 

Pinch 

Seed 

Seed  Bed 

May  15 

Carrots 

24 

12 

i  oz. 

Seed 

Row  2 

Apr.  i 

Corn  (i) 
Com  (2) 
Com  (3) 

30 

IS 
IS 

'f 

8 

18 
18 

12- 

Ipt. 
ipt. 

Seed 
Seed 
Thin- 

Row 9 
Row  8 

May   15 
July  10 
July  10 

18 

nings 

from  2 

Cucumbers 

IS 

3 

36- 

ioz. 

Seed 

Seed  Bed 

May  i-io 

40 

Eggplant 

IS 

8 

18 

fa  oz. 

Seed 

Seed  Bed 

May  30 

Kohlrabi 

12 

12 

i  oz. 

Seed 

Row3a 

March  31 

Melons,  Musk 

IS 

3 

36 

i  oz. 

Seed 

Seed  Bed 

May  15 

Onions  (i) 
Onions  (2) 

IS 
IS 

12 
12 

i  Pt. 
i  oz. 

Sets 
Seed 

Row  4a 
Row  4b 

May  15-31 
April    15- 
May  i 

Parsnips 

is 

12 

ioz. 

Seed 

Row  sa 

April  1-15 

Peas  (i) 

30 

24 

ipt. 

Seed 

Row  7  by 

March  15-  31 

Trellis 

Peas  (a) 

15 

18 

i  pt. 

Seed 

Row  8 

April  15 

Peas  3) 

IS 

18 

ipt. 

Seed 

Row  9 

May  i 

Salsify 
Spinach 

15 

12 

12 
12 

ioz. 
I  oz. 

Seed 
Seed 

Row  sb 
Row  ib 

April  is-May 
September  i 

Spinach,  N.  Z. 

IS 

18 

ioz. 

Seed 

Bet.  Rows 

June  15 

6  and  72. 

Squash,  Late 
Tomato 
Turnip 
Lettuce  (i) 
Lettuce  (a) 

15 

IS 

13 

1 

16 

12 
13 
12 

AOZ. 

*S 
*«. 

Seed 
Seed 
Seed 
Seed 
Seed 

Seed  Bed 
Seed  Bed 
Row  3 
Row  3b 
Seed  Bed 

May  i 
May  i-5-June 
July  i 
March  13-31 
April-June 

Radish 

? 

6 

? 

Seed 

Vacant 

Anytime 

Spaces 

Vegetable  Garden  15  x  30  Ft. 


TRANSPLANT  OR  THIN 

HARVEST 

Plants 

How 

Seeds 
Apart 

To 

When 

Space 
(Inches] 

First 

Remove  by 

(Inches) 

Drills 

I* 

June  10- 

August  15 

Hills 

36 

30 
July    20 

Aug.    10 

Drills 

3 

June  i-io 

Aug.  30 

Drills 

3 

July  15 

Drills 

Row  6 

July  15-30 

24 

Sept. 

Drills 
Hills 

24 

2 

July    15 
July  20-Aug.  i 

August  30 

Hills 

24 

Sept.   15 

Hills 

24 

Row   3a 

Aug.   15 

24 

Sept.   20 

Drills 

Row    yb 

June  10-15 

July  15 

Drills 

Row  8b 

Aug.  i 

«4 

Aug.   30 

Drills 
Drills 

I 

Row   9a 

June  15 

d 

June    i 
Aug.  30 

Aug.  15 

Drills 

l| 

June   1-15 

Drills 

3 

Aug. 

Drills 

2 

Aug. 

Drills 

May  15-30 

Tune  1-10 

Drills 
Drills 
Drills 
Drills 
Drills 

I 

2 

Si 

July  15 
Nov.?  Apr. 
July 

July  10 
Aug.  i 

May  10 

Drills 

2 

Row  9b 

June  30 

60 

Sept. 

Drills 

2 

Row    ;a 

June  15 

24 

Aug.    15 

Drills 

3 

Sept.  10 

Drills 
Drills 

3 

Vacant 

When  i 

9 
9 

May  30 

July  i 

Spaces 

in.  high 

With 

t 

3**—  3  week) 

Carrots 

Pars* 

nips,  .etc 

103 


104  GARDEN  PROFITS 

KITCHEN  GARDEN  PLANTING  TABLE 


A  Guide  to  the  Proper  Times  for  Sowing  of  Various  Seeds  in  Order  to  Obtain 
Continuous  Succession  of  Crops. 


VEGETABLES 
IOTCHEN  GARDEN 

II 

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manent place. 

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a  To  be  grown    in    open 
ground  and  protected  with 
litter  daring  winter 
j.  Plant   In   frame,   when 

with  uih  matt  and  °huu»4. 
admit   fresh    air    whenever 
weather  with  permit. 
ML  Plant  In  cellar.,  bam« 
or  ondergnenhouee  benches 
that  are  free  from  draughts, 
with  equable  lemparsttu*, 
11.   Few  mar  be  started  In 
pots    for    earljr    and    twa. 
planted  as  aooa  as  ground  Is 

12.  --ow     ererr      week    In 
st«t  supply 

Bush  .     .     . 
"      Pole  Lima    . 

6 

'0 
6 

6 

6 

• 

8 

2 

• 

7 

;• 

Borecole  or  Kale 
Broccoli   .    .     .     f 
Brussels  Sprouts  . 
Cabbage,  all  soru  . 
Cardoon  .... 
Carrot.     .     .    ..     . 
Cauliflower  .    . 
Celeriac   .    .    . 
Celery.    .    .    . 
Chicory.  Whitloef 
Corn,  Kield    .     . 
"     Sweet  .•    . 
-     Pop      .     . 

4 

is' 

4 
4 
4 

4 

6 

4 
4 
4 

1 

• 

• 
• 

• 

•; 

7 

9'. 

3 
6 

12 

12 

12 

10 

Cress  .     ...  ,.    . 

Egg  Plant    .'    !    ! 

Endive 

12 

6 

12 
6 

6 

6 

4 

12 
4 

4 

4 

4 
4 

12 

4 

4 

• 
• 
1 
1 

3 

i 

• 

2 

3 
6 

Kohlrabi  .... 
Leek    .    .    .    „ 

6 

• 

.-. 

7 

9 

10 

Lettuce    .... 
Melon,   «   *    .    . 
Mushroom   .„•    ,    . 
Nasturtium  ?   *    . 
Okra    ..... 
Oaions     ,.    .,   .    . 
Parsnips  . 

6 
6 
10 

10 

4 
6 

10 

ii 

4 
5 
4 
5 

4 

10 

• 
11 

• 
• 
• 
3 
4 
• 

0 

• 

2 
1 

10 

10 

• 

• 

;; 

Parsley    .... 
J»eas    ....... 

Pepper     .... 
Potatoes  .... 

6 

NOTS3. 

per»^nPear^  •^'^twuld 

separate  'from'    other'''^ 

i^sls 

SalarfjMd^.r.nlp.  T=« 

™r.*ndwillWloprt™^>ol 
ditinn.  If  sufficient  protection 
it  Utter  be  «W    to    bdlt- 

Pumpldn  .... 
Radish      ..... 
Rutabaga     .    .    . 
Rhubarb.    .    .    . 
Salsify     ..  -    ,    .     . 
S«»kal«    .... 
Spinach.  Ordinary  . 
"     New  Zealan  1 
Squash     .... 
Tomato    .     .    . 
Turnips   j    .    .    \ 

12 
6 

12 
6 

e' 

12 

4 
12 

• 
3 

2 

9 

9 

5 
5 
5 

5 

4 
4 
4 
5 

• 
• 
2 
4 
4 
4 
B 

2 

• 
1 
• 

0 

8 

• 

8 

2 

6 
r 

2 

e' 

8 
6 

IV 


GETTING  THE  MOST  OUT  OF  FRAMES 
AND  HOTBEDS 

EVERY  family  ought  to  have  a  coldframe 
because    it    can    gain    from    four    to 
six    weeks    on    the    season    of    early 
vegetables,    merely   by    sowing   seeds 
in  a  coldframe  on  the  first  of  March. 
This  is  indicated  in  the  accompanying  table,  which 
shows  for  each  vegetable  how  much  can  be  gained 
over   the    regular   outdoor  cultivation    by    the    aid 
of  coldframes. 

TABLE    SHOWING    GAIN    MADE   BY    COLDFRAME 


'SOWN  MARCH  I 
(In  Coldframe) 

TRANS- 
PLANTED 

READY  TO  EAT 

Coldframe 

Outdoors 

Bean 

May    8 

June  15 

Beet 

Mar.  25 

May  20 

June  25 

Cabbage 
Carrot 

April    I 

June    8 
May  15 

July     i 
June  15 

Cauliflower 
Kohlrabi 

April    i 
April    I 

June    8 
May  15 

July    i 
June  15 

Lettuce 

Mar.  20 

May    I 

June    i 

Parsley 

May  15 

June  15 

Pea     ' 

May    8 

June    8 

Radish 

April  15 

May  15 

Spinach 

May     8 

June  15 

105 


io6  GARDEN  PROFITS 

There  are  three  other  reasons  why  you  should 
have  a  coldframe: 

(1)  You  can  have  lettuce,  radishes  and  spinach 
a  good  part  of  the  winter. 

(2)  You   can   have  the   choicest  foxglove,   lark- 
spur and  cosmos  only  by  aid  of  a  coldframe. 

(3)  The    highest    qualities    of    pansies,    violets, 
English  daisies,  polyanthus,  and  auricula  are  flow- 
ered only  in  a  coldframe,  where  you  may  have  them 
between   February   and   April. 

Difference  between  "Hotbed"  and  "Coldframe." 
There  is  often  confusion  caused  by  the  use  of 
the  terms  "hotbed"  and  "coldframe"  and  direc- 
tions for  their  use.  The  former  refers  strictly 
to  a  pit  or  box-like  structure,  covered  with  glass 
sashes,  and  given  warmth  by  fermenting  manure 
under  the  soil.  It  is  used  for  starting  seeds  for 
early  plants;  in  other  words  it  is  primarily  a  seed- 
bed and  not  a  place  in  which  to  mature  vegetables. 
The  coldframe  is  similar  in  construction  but  is 
not  heated  by  manure  and  contains  a  deeper  soil, 
richer,  and  in  which  plants  and  flowers  can  be 
matured,  or  kept  in  a  growing  condition.  The 
change  from  the  former  to  the  latter  could  be 
accomplished  by  merely  mixing  the  soil  and  manure 
thoroughly  and,  perhaps,  removing  some  of  the 
manure,  which  for  the  coldframe  must  not  be 
fresh  or  "green".  A  change  in  the  opposite  di- 
rection would  result  if  after  using  a  coldframe 
for  fall  and  winter  purposes,  you  were  to  run  steam- 
pipes  or  some  other  means  for  heating  it  into  the 
bed  in  early  spring,  as  described  below,  or  remove 


FRAMES  AND  HOTBEDS  107 

the  soil,  trample  in  manure  and  again  prepare  a 
seedbed. 

How  to  Build  a  Hotbed.  Like  other  things,  a 
hotbed  can  be  built  well  or  just  knocked  together 
for  the  occasion.  I  favor  the  former,  but  for 
temporary  use  you  can  build  a  cheap  one  from 
boards.  Dig  a  hole  about  three  feet  deep,  six  feet 
wide  and  of  whatever  length  you  think  you  can 
afford  sash  for.  Board  up  the  sides,  giving  the 
hotbed  a  height  of  six  inches  above  ground  in  front 
(which,  by  the  way,  should  be  the  south  side,  so 
as  to  get  the  maximum  amount  of  light).  The 
back  of  the  frame  should  be  about  six  or  eight 
inches  higher  than  the  front.  Partly  fill  the  hole 
with  fresh  horse  manure  well  mixed  with  some 
leaves  or  bedding,  and  tramp  it  down  well,  being 
sure  it  is  well  moistened.  Cover  with  about  eight 
inches  of  good  soil,  the  top  of  which  should  be  level 
with  the  outside  ground.  Put  the  sash  in  place 
and  wait  for  the  soil  to  get  warm  before  you  sow 
the  seeds. 

But  if  you  think  you  really  want  a  good  hotbed, 
do  not  build  it  of  wood,  as  the  wood  soon  decays. 
A  concrete  or  brick  hotbed  will  last  a  lifetime.  A 
very  good  idea  in  building  one  on  these  lines  is  to 
have  your  back  or  north  wall  (which  should  be 
about  four  inches  thick)  rise  about  two  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  frame.  Carry  the  ends  down  on 
an  angle  to  meet  the  front  line,  and  you  have  a 
very  pretty  and  practical  frame.  This  high  back 
is  a  wonderful  protection  for  the  frames. 

If  you   sow  cabbage   in   February,   you   cannot 


I08  GARDEN  PROFITS 

plant  it  out-of-doors  in  March,  and  neither  can 
you  leave  it  in  the  frame  just  as  you  sowed  it.  The 
plants  will  require  more  room,  so  therefore  do  not 
put  all  your  hotbed  down  at  one  time.  One  or 
two  sash  will  suffice  in  which  to  sow  the  seeds  for 
a  hotbed  of  twelve  sash;  so  you  can  see  that  it  would 


In  &  permanent  hotbed  frame  the  manure  pit  should  be  about  two 
feet,  and  the  soil  six  to  eight  inches,  deep.  Brick  walls  may  be  sub- 
stituted for  the  rock  foundation  shown  above.  Always  face  the  high 
side  of  the  bed  to  the  north 

be  much  more  practical  to  divide  the  bed  in  some 
way. 

Here  is  one  way:  For  a  twelve-sash  hotbed  I 
would  start  two  sash  for  the  seedlings.  I  would 
have  five  sash  ready  to  take  the  young  plants 
about  three  or  four  weeks  later;  and  about  two 
weeks  later  I  would  have  the  others  ready  to  take 
the  balance,  which  would  consist  of  slow  germinat- 


FRAMES  AND  HOTBEDS 


109 


ing  seeds.  Some  folks  sow  seeds  in  a  hotbed  in 
rows.  Other  prefer  sowing  broadcast,  and  think 
that  their  method  is  the  better,  for  this  reason 
—  by  taking  full  advantage  of  all  the  room  the 
plants  receive  the  maximum  amount  of  light. 


A  good  location  for  a  temporary  hotbed  or  coldf  rame  is  the  south  side 
of  a  building,  wall  or  fence.  Pile  the  manure  around  the  outside  of 
the  bed  as  well  as  inside  it 


Mark  a  space  off  with  sticks,  laying  them  right 
in  the  soil;  and  always  wait  for  the  soil  to  get 
warm  before  you  sow  any  seed.  This  will  usually 
take  a  few  days  after  the  hotbed  is  made  up. 

If  you  haven't  any  cover  for  your  hotbed  you 
should  provide  one  of  some  kind.     If  not  a  burlap 


IIO  GARDEN  PROFITS 

or  straw  mat,  some  straw  or  leaves  will  do;  but 
it  must  be  removed  on  fine  days  to  give  the  plants 
air  and  light.  Ventilate  the  frame  a  little  during 
the  middle  of  the  day  on  bright  days,  especially 
after  the  seeds  have  germinated,  and  never  water 
the  young  plants  in  the  afternoon,  but  always  in 
the  morning  and  on  a  rising  temperature.  Use 
a  sprinkling  can  with  a  fine  rose;  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  water  should  never  be  lower  than  50 
degrees.  Above  all,  do  not  get  methodical  in  your 
watering  and  give  the  plants  a  bath  every  day, 
whether  they  need  it  or  not.  Use  a  little  judg- 
ment and  do  not  overwater.  For  the  benefit  of 
the  amateur  I  would  say  that  when  plants  are  small 
and  growing  under  artificial  conditions,  there  are 
a  great  many  more  killed  from  over-watering  than 
from  not  having  enough  moisture. 


A  NEW  METHOD  FOR  HARDENING  HOTBED  PLANTS 

The  amateur  is  not  unlikely  to  waste  valuable 
time  in  fear  of  freezing  his  hotbed  plants  by  airing 
them  too  much,  or  too  early,  or  by  transplanting 
them  too  soon.  After  the  coldest  days  and  nights 
are  passed  an  excellent  means  of  hardening  off  the 
seedlings  is  the  use  of  cloth  sashes.  These  are 
made  of  unbleached  cotton  or  heavy  muslin,  just 
as  for  screens  in  poultry  houses.  Some  of  their 
chief  advantages  are  (i)  the  ease  with  which  they 
are  handled,  (2)  the  fact  that  they  do  not  need 
to  be  lifted  in  order  to  ventilate  the  beds,  (3)  they 
furnish  sufficient  shade  from  even  the  brightest 


FRAMES  AND  HOTBEDS  in 

sunlight,  (4)  they  lessen  the  force  of  rain,  yet  admit 
it  as  a  gentle  spray,  to  the  plants,  (5)  they  cause 
stronger,  stockier  growth,  and  more  vigorous  plants 
than  do  glass  sash,  and  (6)  the  seedlings  may  be 
earlier  transplanted  out-of-doors  without  injury. 

HOTBED  MATS 

Where  hotbeds  are  used  all  winter  some  kind 
of  mat  or  added  protection  is  essential.  Ordinarily, 
you  will  be  able  to  find  about  the  house,  old  carpet, 
matting,  burlap,  or  bagging  which  do  well  enough 
for  one  or  two  sash.  When  you  are  growing  vio- 
lets, parsley  and  other  hardy  plants,  or  when  you 
are  merely  holding  over  cabbage,  etc.,  four  or 
five  inches  of  loose  hay  or  straw  will  serve.  But 
this  is  neither  neat,  permanent,  nor  easy  to  keep 
on  the  frames  in  the  face  of  winter  winds,  and  if 
you  have  any  spare  winter  hours,  you  may  enjoy 
making  some  real  hotbed  mats,  which  will  last 
for  several  years,  are  an  excellent  protection,  easy 
to  handle  and  simple  to  make.  Where  long,  straight 
straw  is  available  it  is  the  first  choice;  but  want- 
ing this,  you  could  make  a  very  serviceable  mat 
of  hay,  or  salt  marsh  grass,  overlapping  the  ends 
of  the  bundles  and  if  necessary  using  more  strands 
of  twine.  However,  if  you  can  get  straw,  you  might 
just  as  well  follow  these  instructions  to  the  letter. 

A   HOME-MADE  STRAW  MAT 

I  took  two  pieces  of  2  x  4-inch  rough  spruce 
timber,  about  ten  feet  long,  laid  them  on  the  floor, 


ii2  GARDEN  PROFITS 

parallel  and  about  eight  inches  apart,  joining  the 
ends  with  pieces  of  J^-inch  stock,  four  inches 
wide. 

Starting  about  eighteen  inches  from  one  of  the 
ends  of  this  frame  and  about  an  inch  from  the  edge, 
I  drove  in  six-penny  wire  nails  at  intervals  of  seven 
inches.  Back  of  these  rows  and  a  little  to  one  side, 
I  drove  two  other  rows  of  wire  nails,  making  rows 
of  cleats  on  both. 


Making  straw  hotbed-mats  on  a  frame  like  this  Is  not  only  a 
simple,  but  also  an  Interesting  and  profitable  occupation  for  winter 
days 

Among  the  odds  and  ends  of  lumber  about  the 
place  I  found  a  pole  such  as  rugs  are  wrapped 
around,  which  I  placed  between  the  outer  pieces 
of  the  frame. 

My  first  outlay  of  cash  was  for  tarred  marlin, 
known  to  the  trade  as  No.  4^.  A  ball  usually 
contains  about  300  feet. 

Having  decided  on  the  size  for  the  mat,  mark 
off  the  necessary  number  of  cleats  for  the  width 
of  the  mat,  allowing  for  three  or  four  inches  of  the 


FRAMES  AND  HOTBEDS  113 

straw  to  extend  beyond  the  outside  strings  of  mar- 
lin.  For  example,  for  a  mat  to  cover  a  6  x  6-foot 
sash,  eleven  cleats  will  be  used,  giving  ten  seven- 
inch  spaces.  The  straw  when  trimmed,  should 
extend  beyond  the  outside  strings  of  marlin  three 
inches  on  each  side. 

To  begin  operations,  cut  the  tarred  marlin  into 
lengths  3^/£  times  the  length  of  the  mat.  Fold 
the  marlin,  to  get  the  centre  of  the  length,  and  with 
the  centre  over  the  pole  fasten  it  to  two  opposite 
cleats.  Repeat  until  you  have  a  sufficient  number 
of  strands  fastened  on  the  frame.  This  is  the  warp 
in  the  weaving  process.  For  convenience  shorten 
up  the  lengths  of  marlin  by  making  loops  on  the 
ends. 

With  staples,  tack  the  marlin  to  the  pole.  Sup- 
port the  frame  at  a  convenient  distance  from  the 
floor  or  suspend  from  a  beam  overhead.  Take  a 
handful  of  rye  straw  —  the  larger  the  handful,  the 
thicker  the  mat  —  and  lay  it  across  the  strings  of 
marlin,  heads  toward  the  middle  of  the  frame; 
add  enough  straw  to  cross  over  all  the  strings, 
and  extend  beyond  the  ends  about  a  foot.  Dis- 
tribute the  straw  so  that  the  strand  is  of  uniform 
thickness  (a  i^-inch  diameter  gives  a  good,  heavy 
mat).  Unfasten  a  length  of  the  marlin — the  centre 
one  is  the  best  to  start  with  —  cross  over  the  ends, 
pull  taut  and  fasten  again.  Repeat,  working 
toward  the  ends,  smoothing  out  the  straw  and 
don't  forget  that  putting  the  heads  and  loose 
ends  inside  the  strand  makes  a  neater  piece  of  work. 
The  weight  of  the  mat  as  it  hangs  in  the  frame 


1 14  GARDEN  PROFITS 

will  cause  it  to  stretch,  therefore  allow  three  or 
four  extra  strands  of  straw. 

When  you  have  woven  in  sufficient  strands 
finish  off,  by  tying  with  a  square  knot  the  pieces 
of  marlin  as  you  weave  the  last  time. 

With  a  pair  of  shears  cut  the  projecting  strands 
of  straw,  to  give  the  sides  of  the  mat  a  straight 
edge,  leaving  a  margin  of  at  least  three  inches  be- 
yond the  outside  strings  of  marlin.  Trim  off  loose 
ends  and  heads  all  over  the  mat,  and  the  work  is 
done. 

You  can  determine  the  best  and  most  convenient 
size  for  your  own  needs,  and  can  make  the  mat 
thick  or  thin  as  your  climatic  conditions  warrant. 

BUILDING  THE  COLDFRAME 

There  are,  of  course,  several  ways  of  building 
coldframes,  but  the  cheapest  and  best  is  a  brick  or 
concrete  frame.  Do  not  build  a  2  x  4  ft.  frame 
and  expect  to  raise  a  wagon-load  of  seedlings  in  it. 
If  you  crowd  the  plants  you  ruin  them.  Esti- 
mate on  one  sash  for  every  1,250  square  feet  of 
garden  space.  A  garden  50  x  50  feet  would  need 
two  sash,  a  garden  100  x  100  feet  would  need 
eight  sash,  and  so  on,  though,  of  course,  it  is  possi- 
ble to  get  along  on  much  less  than  this.  Besides 
using  the  frame  for  raising  early  spring  vegeta- 
bles, it  can  be  utilized  during  summer  for  the  long 
English  greenhouse  cucumbers  or  some  large  thick- 
fleshed  melons;  and  in  fall  for  radishes,  lettuce,  etc. 
You  could  raise  your  own  eggplants,  peppers, 


''  FRAMES  AND  HOTBEDS  115 

tomatoes,  etc.,  you  could  have  early  celery,  early 
cabbage  and  cauliflower. 

While  brick  and  cement  are  the  best  materials 
to  use  I  favor  cement  because  it  is  cheaper.  Any 
workman  can  build  the  forms.  There  are  only 
two  important  points  in  concrete  work  of  this  kind 
to  remember:  Have  the  form  thoroughly  braced 
so  that  it  cannot  move  in  any  way,  and  have  the 
mixture  wet  and  well  mixed.  Pound  it  after  put- 
ting it  into  the  form  until  the  water  rises  to  the 
surface. 

Always  lay  out  the  frame  so  that  it  faces  south 
and  have  it  so  that  the  plate  that  the  sash  rest  on 
is  6  inches  higher  in  back  than  in  front.  Don't 
butt  your  sash;  use  proper  sashbars.  They  come 
up  flush  with  the  sash  and  are  about  one  inch  wide 
on  top.  Have  the  frame  one  inch  longer  for  each 
sash  it  contains.  The  sashbars  can  be  purchased 
cheaply  and  they  give  a  neat  finish  to  a  frame. 
Place  buttons  on  the  sashbar  which  will  prevent 
the  sash  from  blowing  off  and  being  smashed  or 
damaged  by  a  windstorm. 

Place  the  frames  near  enough  to  the  house  so 
that  a  pipe  can  be  run  out  from  the  boiler.  This 
will  turn  it  into  a  miniature  greenhouse  for  growing 
lettuce,  spinach,  etc.,  during  the  winter,  besides 
an  occasional  bunch  of  flowers.  It  requires  very 
little  heat  to  keep  such  a  small  space  up  to  the 
growing  temperature  —  about  fifty  degrees.  For 
the  vegetables  mentioned  a  couple  of  2-inch  pipes 
would  do  it  nicely.  Wherever  this  is  possible  I 
would  strongly  urge  it,  as  it  does  away  with  the 


ii6  GARDEN  PROFITS 

necessity  of  preparing  a  hotbed  in  spring.  Another 
point  is  the  cheaper  construction  of  a  frame  of  this 
kind.  If  you  heat  your  frame  the  walls  only  need 
go  about  six  inches  below  grade  level;  but  if  you 
intend  using  it  as  a  hotbed  in  spring,  the  wall 
should  go  down  as  deep  as  the  hotbed,  which  would 
be  about  two  and  one-half  feet  below  grade  level. 

The  sum  and  substance  of  the  relation  between 
hotbed  and  coldframe  is  this:  if  you  build  a  hotbed 
and  do  not  renew  the  source  of  heat  (ordinarily 
manure)  it  must  eventually  become  a  coldframe. 
Now,  just  as  truly  as  I  have  said  that  you  cannot 
get  the  maximum  returns  from  your  garden  without 
a  hotbed,  I  will  say  that  you  cannot  get  the  maxi- 
mum growing  season  and  the  maximum  growing 
space  without  a  coldframe.  By  a  manipulation 
of  these  two,  closely  related  instruments,  you  prac- 
tically double  the  space  and  efficiency  of  your 
garden,  while  you  do  not  increase  the  time,  effort  and 
expense  necessary  for  its  care.  We  can  now  con- 
sider the  details  of  this  management,  in  its  relation 
to  the  coldframe  and  the  vegetables  most  adapted 
to  it. 


THE    ENTIRE    MANAGEMENT    OF    A    COLDFRAME 

Coldframes  can  be  used  to  good  advantage  for  a 
number  of  early  vegetables.  A  spot  that  is  shel- 
tered from  north  and  west  winds  and  faces  south 
is  preferable,  in  order  to  obtain  all  the  sunlight. 
A  coldframe  is  merely  a  glass-covered  box,  higher 
at  the  north  end  than  at  the  south. 


FRAMES  AND  HOTBEDS  117 

Preparations.  If  coldframes  have  been  idle  all 
winter  or  new  ones  made  in  February,  take  off 
about  two  inches  of  the  old  surface  soil  and  spade 
the  balance  up  well  with  a  spading  fork.  Give 
it  a  good  sprinkling  of  air  slaked  lime  to  sweeten 
it.  If  the  days  are  mild,  remove  the  sash,  putting 
it  on  again  at  night;  let  it  remain  in  this  condition 
until  ready  for  planting.  Just  before  planting, 
spread  a  dressing  three  inches  thick  of  well-decayed 
manure  and  a  sprinkling  of  commercial  fertilizer 
over  the  surface  of  the  soil,  and  thoroughly  work 
them  in.  With  an  iron-toothed  rake  smooth  the 
surface  until  the  soil  is  rather  fine.  Warm  up  the 
soil  for  a  day  or  so  by  keeping  the  sash  on  tight 
and  this  will  greatly  assist  the  germination  of  the 
seeds.  All  this  should  be  done  early  in  March. 

Sowing.  A  most  important  point  for  success 
is  in  properly  sowing  the  seeds;  put  them  in  drills 
which  are  one-half  an  inch  deep,  cover,  and  firm 
the  soil.  After  this  is  completed,  the  sash  may 
remain  on  and  a  close  atmosphere  be  maintained 
until  the  young  seedlings  appear,  which  will  be  in 
about  ten  days.  Have  the  sides  and  ends  of  the 
frames  banked  with  good  stable  litter  or  leaves  to 
keep  out  the  cold,  and  cover  the  sash  with  salt 
hay,  mats  or  shutters  at  night,  and  at  other  times 
when  the  mercury  goes  below  the  freezing  point, 
which  is  often  the  case;  sometimes  the  mercury  will 
go  as  low  as  10°  at  this  season.  Remove  the  cov- 
ering on  all  bright  and  mild  days.  A  good  indica- 
tion of  the  proper  time  to  cover  the  frames  is  when 
the  glass  begins  to  frost  over. 


ii8  GARDEN  PROFITS 

Ventilating.  Airing  or  ventilating  should  be 
watched,  for  the  weather  in  March  is  very  uncer- 
tain. Some  days,  the  temperature  outside  will 
be  as  high  as  55°  in  the  shade,  while  other  days  will 
be  dull  and  cold,  with  the  temperature  below  the 
freezing  point.  As  soon  as  the  seedlings  are  up, 


A  simple  device  for  ventilating  hotbeds  and  coldframes.  The 
notched  support  may  be  hinged  in  a  slit  in  the  wall  of  the  bed,  or  may 
be  so  made  as  to  fit  down  over  it,  so  that  it  may  be  removed  when  the 
sash  is  closed 

air  the  frame  on  all  days  when  it  can  be  done  with- 
out submitting  the  plants  to  danger  of  frost  and 
cold  draughts,  and  close  them  about  fifteen  min- 
utes before  the  sun  is  off  them.  While  the  seed- 
lings are  small,  keep  the  temperature  of  the  frames 
from  55°  to  65°. 

Watering.     Water  the   plants   in   the  frame  be- 
tween ten  and  two  o'clock,  so  that  they  may  have 


FRAMES  AND  HOTBEDS  119 

a  chance  to  dry  off  before  the  frames  are  closed 
for  the  night.  Young  seedlings  need  watering  as 
soon  as  the  surface  of  the  soil  looks  dry;  use  a 
fine-rosed  watering  can  and  give  a  thorough  soak- 
ing, taking  care  not  to  wash  the  seedlings  out  of 
the  soil.  Examine  the  condition  of  the  soil  by 
taking  it  in  the  hands  and  squeezing  it;  if  it  holds 
together  the  beds  will  not  need  water,  but  if,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  soil  falls  apart,  like  ashes,  then 
it  needs  a  thorough  watering,  not  merely  a  surface 
wetting.  Always  watch  the  top  end  of  the  frames, 
as  that  part  always  dries  out  more  rapidly,  be- 
cause it  has  more  sun  and  a  better  circulation 
of  air. 

Transplanting.  When  the  seeds  have  made  their 
first  true  leaves,  transplant  them  into  other  frames, 
for  if  they  are  not  separated,  they  will  crowd  one 
another.  Set  the  plants  about  four  inches  apart 
each  way,  shade  for  a  day  or  so  or  until  they  take 
hold  of  the  new  soil,  then  gradually  inure  them  to 
the  sunlight.  Sprinkle  the  plants  frequently  to 
keep  them  from  wilting.  Stir  the  surface  of  the 
soil  at  least  once  a  week,  and  remove  all  weeds 
as  they  appear. 

Hardening  off.  Before  transplanting  the  seed- 
lings to  the  open  ground,  they  must  be  "hardened 
off."  This  process  needs  one  to  two  weeks.  In  do- 
ing this,  air  is  admitted  in  larger  and  larger  quanti- 
ties until  the  sashes  are  removed  entirely  during 
the  day.  During  the  night  ventilation  is  given 
by  leaving  the  sash  open,  at  first  only  a  small 
crack,  which  is  increased  gradually  until  it  is  four 


120  GARDEN  PROFITS 

or  five  inches  wide.  The  handiest  thing  with  which 
to  prop  the  sash  open  is  a  block  of  wood. 

Lettuce,  cauliflower,  cabbage,  onions  and  leeks 
can  be  subjected  to  airier  conditions  than  peppers, 
eggplants  and  tomatoes.  Lettuce,  cauliflower  and 
cabbage  may  be  planted  out  about  April  20. 
Onions  and  leeks  are  better  not  disturbed  until 
they  attain  the  size  of  a  lead  pencil.  Peppers  and 
eggplants  require  a  frame  having  a  slightly  warmer 
temperature;  they  may  be  planted  out  about 
May  20.  Syringe  eggplants  occasionally  for  red 
spiders.  Tomatoes  will  make  a  stronger,  sturdier 
growth  if  kept  a  little  on  the  dry  side. 

LETTUCE  — Sow  March  /,  and  for  succession  sow 
every  two  weeks.  Varieties:  Private  Stock  and  Tri- 
anon Cos. 

Lettuces  are  divided  into  two  classes,  the  cabbage, 
with  the  round  head,  and  the  Cos,  with  long,  hard 
and  narrow  leaves.  The  cabbage  variety  is  the 
most  tender,  and  the  Cos  the  best  flavored.  Sow 
the  seed  in  finely  raked  soil  and  give  them  a  very 
thin  covering.  After  the  young  plants  have  made 
their  true  leaves,  transplant  to  other  frames,  placing 
the  plants  nine  inches  apart  each  way.  These 
may  be  grown  on  in  the  frames  for  the  earliest 
crop,  which  will  be  ready  for  use  about  April  20. 

The  plants  raised  from  the  second  sowing  may 
be  transplanted  to  4x4  inches.  Transplant  to 
the  open  ground  about  April  15,  placing  the  plants 
nine  inches  apart,  in  rows  which  are  twelve  to 
fifteen  inches  apart.  When  transplanting  lettuce 
always  select  the  strongest  plants,  discard  all  the 


FRAMES  AND  HOTBEDS  121 

weaklings,  and  secure  all  the  roots  possible  as  well 
as  all  the  soil  that  will  adhere  to  them.  When 
planting,  keep  the  leaves  well  up  from  the  soil, 
firm  well  the  earth  about  the  roots,  water  and 
shade  for  a  day  or  so,  or  until  they  take  hold  of 
the  new  soil. 

As  long  as  the  plants  are  in  the  frames,  give 
them  plenty  of  air.  Stir  the  soil  at  least  once  a 
week  to  keep  it  mellow  and  to  keep  down  the 
weeds.  As  soon  as  the  ground  can  be  worked  out- 
doors, make  the  successional  sowings  there,  rather 
than  in  the  frames.  If  the  weather  should  be  dry, 
keep  the  ground  constantly  hoed  and  watered.  In 
the  extreme  hot  weather,  grow  lettuce  in  a  partly 
shady  place,  as  it  runs  to  seed  very  quickly. 

Good  lettuce  can  be  had  in  the  late  fall  and  early 
winter,  if  occasional  sowings  of  seed  are  made  in 
coldframes  from  August  15  to  September  15.  If  the 
frames  are  protected  from  the  extreme  cold,  good 
heads  may  be  had  up  to  Christmas.  In  order  to 
insure  good  heads  of  lettuce,  keep  water  from  the 
heart;  heading  will  be  materially  assisted  by 
an  application  of  nitrate  of  soda,  which  may  be 
applied  by  strewing  it  over  the  surface  of  the 
soil,  or  it  may  be  given  in  liquid  form  by  dissolv- 
ing a  3-inch  potful  in  twenty  gallons  of  water. 
When  thoroughly  dissolved  this  will  supply  about 
162  square  feet  of  soil.  Two  applications,  at 
intervals  of  ten  to  fourteen  days,  will  be  sufficient. 

TOMATOES  —  Sow  March  /,  and  for  main  crop 
April  75.  Varieties:  early,  Dwarf  Champion  and 
Earliana;  late,  Stone  and  Table  Queen. 


122  GARDEN  PROFITS 

These  two  sowings  will  keep  up  a  supply  from 
June  20  until  November. 

Sow  the  seeds  in  drills  six  inches  apart,  cover 
lightly  and  water  to  settle  the  soil.  When  the 
plants  are  about  three  inches  high,  transplant  to 
other  frames,  placing  them  from  four  to  six  inches 
apart  each  way.  Set  the  plants  so  that  the  seed 
leaves  will  be  just  above  the  surface  of  the  soil, 
and  shade  for  a  few  days.  Keep  the  soil  a  little 
on  the  dry  side  to  encourage  a  short  stocky  growth. 
Until  ready  to  harden  the  plants,  keep  a  tempera- 
ture of  from  50°  to  55°.  Transplant  to  the  open 
ground  about  May  15,  in  soil  which  is  not  rich,  or 
they  will  make  too  much  growth  and  few  fruits. 
Set  the  plants  four  feet  apart  each  way  (Dwarf 
Champion  needs  only  two  and  one-half  feet), 
support  the  plants  with  a  trellis  or  stakes  and  train 
about  five  stems,  selecting  the  strongest  shoots 
and  removing  all  weak  ones  and  laterals,  or  side 
shoots,  tying  them  as  they  grow  to  protect  them 
from  wind,  etc.  In  the  fall,  should  there  be  danger 
of  frost,  tomatoes  may  be  picked  in  the  green,  or 
half-ripe  state  and  put  on  straw  or  boards,  and  be 
ripened  in  coldframes. 

PEPPERS  —  Sow  March  75.  Varieties:  Bull  Nose 
and  Red  Cayenne. 

A  few  plants  of  peppers  will  supply  a  good-sized 
family.  They  require  a  temperature  of  from  60° 
to  70°.  Sow  in  drills  which  are  three  inches  apart 
and  water  very  sparingly  until  the  young  plants 
attain  a  height  of  three  inches.  Transplant  to 
other  frames,  putting  the  plants  three  inches  apart 


FRAMES  AND  HOTBEDS  123 

each  way,  and  transplant  to  the  open  ground 
about  May  20.  Peppers  prefer  a  deep  rich  soil 
and  are  ready  for  use  about  July  15.  They  may 
be  planted  fifteen  inches  apart  in  rows  which  are 
two  feet  apart. 

BEETS  —  Sow  March  /,  and  for  succession  every 
two  weeks  until  August  75.  Varieties:  Bassano, 
Eclipse. 

Sow  in  drills  which  are  one  inch  deep  and  ten 
inches  apart.  Maintain  a  temperature  of  from 
50°  to  55°,  and  when  the  plants  are  three  inches 
high,  thin  them  out  to  two  or  three  inches  apart. 
The  surplus  plants  may  be  transplanted  outdoors, 
setting  them  three  inches  apart,  in  rows  which  are 
twelve  inches  apart.  The  first  beets  in  the  cold- 
frame  will  be  ready  to  eat  about  May.  Beets 
delight  in  light,  rich  soil  and  require  an  abundance 
of  water.  The  leaves  may  be  used  for  greens. 

CARROTS  —  Sow  March  I,  and  for  succession  every 
three  weeks  until  July  15.  Varieties:  Parisian,  Scarlet 
Horn,  Half  Long  Danvers. 

Sow  in  coldframes  in  drills  four  inches  apart. 
When  three  inches  high,  thin  the  plants  to  about 
one  inch  apart.  Early  Parisian  is  the  best  for  cold- 
frames,  as  it  is  a  small  carrot  and  one  which  matures 
quickly.  It  is  ready  for  use  in  about  six  weeks. 
Later  sowings  outdoors,  of  Early  Scarlet  Horn  and 
Half  Long  Danvers,  may  be  made  as  soon  as  the 
ground  can  be  worked,  in  drills  which  are  one  inch 
deep  and  fifteen  inches  apart.  Thin  out  as  di- 
rected above,  and  keep  the  surface  of  the  soil 
frequently  stirred  to  keep  it  open. 


124  GARDEN  PROFITS 

EGGPLANT  —  Sow  March  75.  Varieties:  New  York 
Improved,  Black  Beauty. 

Eggplant  needs  a  hotbed.  Have  a  rich,  light 
seed  soil  and  keep  it  rather  dry,  as  the  seed  will  not 
germinate  if  it  is  kept  too  wet.  Maintain  a  tem- 
perature of  about  80°.  When  about  three  inches 
high,  transplant  to  another  hotbed,  setting  the 
plants  six  inches  apart  each  way.  Syringe  the 
plants  frequently,  especially  the  under  sides  of 
the  leaves,  to  keep  down  the  red  spider,  and  avoid 
cold  draughts.  About  June  I,  transplant  to  open 
ground  in  very  rich  soil,  setting  the  plants  two 
feet  apart  in  rows  which  are  three  feet  apart.  Water 
freely  during  dry  weather,  and  dust  lightly  with  an 
insecticide  to  destroy  the  potato  bugs.  The  fruit 
will  be  ready  for  use  about  the  middle  of  July. 

ONIONS  —  Sow  March  10.  Varieties:  White  Globe 
and  Prizetaker. 

Onions  require  a  very  rich  soil,  liberal  and  fre- 
quent dressings  of  manure;  fertilizers  are  also 
essential  to  insure  maximum  success.  Sow  in 
drills  which  are  four  inches  apart,  cover  and  firm 
the  soil  with  a  board  in  order  that  it  shall  retain 
the  moisture.  As  soon  as  the  young  onions  appear 
above  the  soil  ventilate  the  frames,  giving  an  abund- 
ance of  air  on  all  fair  days.  Frequently  stir  the 
surface  of  the  soil  and  remove  all  weeds  as  they 
appear.  As  the  onions  increase  in  size,  give  them 
air  at  night,  and  if  the  weather  is  mild,  the  sash 
may  be  left  off  entirely.  When  about  the  size 
of  a  lead  pencil  (which  will  be  about  May  l) 
transplant  to  open  ground.  Put  them  in  rows, 


FRAMES  AND  HOTBEDS  125 

setting  the  plants  three  inches  deep,  five  inches 
apart  and  sixteen  inches  from  row  to  row.  Onions 
may  also  be  sown  outdoors  and  thinned  to  three 
inches  apart.  The  young  onions  can  be  used  as 
they  are,  or  the  thinnings  transplanted  to  other  rows 
as  has  been  described.  Onions  may  also  be  grown 
from  sets  planted  one  inch  deep,  three  inches  apart 
and  one  foot  from  row  to  row.  Sow  the  seed,  or 
plant  the  sets,  in  March,  as  soon  as  the  ground 
can  be  worked. 

LEEKS  —  Sow*  March  10.  Varieties:  American 
Flag  and  Large  Carentan. 

Leeks  are  greatly  prized  for  soups  and  when 
cut  into  small  pieces  and  cooked  as  onions  they 
make  a  delicious  vegetable.  Sow  in  coldframes 
and  give  the  same  care  as  recommended  for  onions. 
They  will  be  ready  for  use  in  September.  Trans- 
plant when  the  size  of  an  ordinary  lead  pencil  to 
trenches  which  have  been  dug  eight  inches  deep 
and  one  foot  wide,  into  which  has  been  put  a  3- 
inch  layer  of  manure,  and  one,  and  one-half  inches 
of  soil  to  plant  in.  Set  them  about  two  inches 
deep,  so  that  the  neck  is  covered,  and  draw  a  little 
soil  up  to  them  from  time  to  time,  as  they  grow, 
to  blanch  them.  They  may  be  grown  in  a  double 
row,  the  individual  rows  being  nine  inches  apart, 
and  the  plants  six  inches  apart  in  the  row. 

BEANS  —  Sow  March  20,  and  for  succession 
every  two  weeks.  Varieties:  Triumph  of  the  Frames, 
and  Early  Mohawk. 

Beans  require  a  light,  not  over-rich  soil.  For 
early  use,  sow  Triumph  of  the  Frames  in  cold- 


126  GARDEN  PROFITS 

frames,  in  drills  two  inches  deep  and  one  foot  apart. 
Maintain  a  close  atmosphere  until  the  young  plants 
show  through  the  soil,  then  air  and  water  carefully 
and  on  no  account  let  cold  draughts  strike  them. 
Beans  require  a  night  temperature  of  60°,  with  a 
rise  of  ten  degrees  on  bright  days.  They  should 
be  ready  for  use  in  six  weeks  from  the  date  of  sowing. 
Pick  when  young  and  tender.  From  about  April 
10  on,  make  the  successional  sowings  in  open 
ground,  planting  seeds  of  Early  Mohawk  in  rows 
eighteen  inches  apart  and  two  inches  deep  until 
August  15. 

PARSLEY  —  Sow  March  I.  Varieties:  Moss- 
curled,  Fern-leaved. 

Sow  the  seeds  rather  thickly  in  drills  one-half 
inch  deep,  which  are  three  inches  apart.  Parsley 
germinates  very  slowly.  When  two  inches  high, 
transplant  to  the  open  ground.  For  succession, 
sow  April  i,  and  again  on  July  15,  in  drills 
one-half  inch  deep  and  one  foot  apart.  The 
latter  sowing  can  be  kept  over  winter  by  cover- 
ing with  salt  hay,  or  leaves,  when  cold  weather 
sets  in. 

SPINACH  —  Sow  March  /,  and  for  succession 
every  two  weeks  until  May  75.  Varieties:  Prickly, 
and  Savoy  Leaved  or  Bloomsdale.  i 

The  early  sowings  of  spinach  in  the  frames  should 
be  in  drills  which  are  one-half  inch  deep  and  six 
inches  apart.  Keep  the  soil  on  the  dry  side  until 
the  seeds  germinate,  as  they  are  liable  to  rot  if 
kept  too  wet.  A  temperature  of  from  45°  to  50° 
is  sufficiently  high.  As  soon  as  the  seeds  are  up 


FRAMES  AND  HOTBEDS  127 

nicely,  give  plenty  of  air;  and  a  light  dressing  of 
nitrate  of  soda  strewn  over  the  surface  will  hasten 
growth.  It  should  be  ready  for  use  in  six  weeks 
from  planting.  For  succession,  sow  every  two 
weeks  until  May  15.  As  soon  as  the  ground 
can  be  worked,  make  the  successional  sowings 
outdoors  in  drills  which  are  one  inch  deep  and  one 
foot  apart.  For  summer  use,  sow  New  Zealand 
spinach  June  I,  in  hills  at  least  four  feet  apart, 
and  one  inch  deep.  For  fall  use,  sow  Bloomsdale 
again  on  August  I  and  15,  and  for  late  fall  use, 
make  a  sowing  in  the  coldframes  on  September  8. 
This  last  sowing  will  make  good  spinach  for  Christ- 
mas. Another  sowing  may  be  made  about  Sep- 
tember 21;  this  can  be  wintered  over  and  will  be 
ready  to  gather  the  following  March. 

CELERY  —  Sow  April  i.  Varieties:  early,  White 
Plume;  second  early,  Fin  de  Siecle;  mid-season, 
Giant  Pascal;  late,  New  Rose. 

Sow  the  seed  in  finely  raked  soil  in  drills  which 
are  four  inches  apart.  Firm  the  soil  well  with  a 
board  by  walking  on  it.  Give  an  abundance  of 
water,  and  as  soon  as  the  plants  are  two  inches  high, 
transplant  in  other  frames,  in  soil  that  has  been 
enriched  with  a  layer  of  manure,  three  inches  deep, 
which  has  been  thoroughly  dug  into  the  soil. 
Set  the  plants  four  inches  apart,  alternate  them 
in  the  rows  and  do  not  plant  too  deep;  firm  the 
earth  well  about  the  roots,  water  thoroughly  to 
settle  the  soil,  and  shade  for  a  day  or  two,  until 
the  plants  have  taken  root  in  the  new  soil.  They 
will  now  grow  very  fast  and  will  need  an  abundance 


I28  GARDEN  PROFITS 

of  water  at  least  once  a  day.  The  first  sowings 
will  be  ready  for  the  trenches,  or  cultivation  on 
the  level,  about  July  I. 

Dig  trenches  fifteen  inches  wide  and  eight  inches 
deep  and  four  feet  apart.  Put  about  four  inches 
of  good  cow  manure  in  the  bottom,  treading  it 
down  firmly  with  the  feet.  Add  about  two  inches 
of  soil  to  plant  in,  so  that  the  roots  do  not  come 
in  contact  with  the  manure.  When  ready  for 
planting,  secure  a  good  ball  of  earth  with  each 
plant  and  set  them  in  double  rows  (which  are 
about  ten  inches  apart)  and  six  inches  apart  in  the 
row.  Set  firmly,  taking  care  not  to  bury  the 
heart.  The  best  time  to  plant  celery,  unless  the 
day  be  dull  or  there  is  a  sign  of  rain,  is  in  the  after- 
noon from  three  o'clock,  as  the  sun  is  then  not  so 
strong.  From  this  on,  the  celery  should  be  con- 
stantly watched,  kept  free  from  weeds  and  watered 
thoroughly  and  frequently  if  the  weather  is  dry. 
For  celery  which  is  wanted  for  early  use,  earthing 
up  is  necessary  about  the  middle  of  August.  Pull 
the  soil  up  to  the  plants  with  a  hoe,  breaking  all 
lumps,  gather  the  leaf-stalks  tightly  together  with 
the  left  hand  and  press  the  soil  closely  around  them 
with  the  right  hand,  using  care  to  prevent  the  soil 
from  falling  into  the  heart  of  the  plant,  and  thereby 
rotting  it.  Two  earthings  will  suffice  for  White 
Plume  and  Fin  de  Siecle,  then  hemlock  boards  may 
be  placed  on  edge  on  each  side  of  the  row  and  sup- 
ported with  stakes.  This  will  help  to  blanch  and 
whiten  the  celery.  In  this  manner,  White  Plume 
will  be  ready  for  use  September  15,  Fin  de  Siecle 


FRAMES  AND  HOTBEDS  129 

following  in  about  four  weeks.  Giant  Pascal  is 
a  large  celery  and  one  of  the  very  best  flavoured 
varieties  grown.  It  will  be  ready  for  use  about 
December  I.  The  late  variety,  New  Rose,  can 
be  kept  in  trenches  until  May.  Have  the  rows  of 
Giant  Pascal  and  New  Rose  from  six  to  eight  feet 
apart,  so  that  there  may  be  sufficient  earth  to  pro- 
tect them  during  the  winter. 

As  fast  as  these  two  late  varieties  grow,  bank 
them  up,  always  doing  it  when  the  earth  and  the 
celery  are  dry,  otherwise  it  is  liable  to  cause  the 
heart  to  rot.  When  the  mercury  indicates  a  tem- 
perature of  22°,  it  is  time  to  put  on  the  winter 
covering.  This  is  done  by  placing  boards  as  de- 
scribed for  White  Plume.  The  boards  should 
reach  to  within  three  inches  of  the  tops  of  the  celery; 
then  take  two  boards  nailed  together  like  a  trough, 
with  cleats  projecting  two  inches  over  the  sides, 
and  place  them  on  top  of  the  celery.  This  forms 
a  sort  of  box  with  a  lid.  Bank  the  earth  up  to 
the  top  of  the  boards,  with  a  layer  of  leaves  about 
a  foot  thick  and  a  sufficient  quantity  of  stable 
manure  to  keep  the  leaves  from  blowing  away. 
Celery  protected  in  this  way  keeps  to  perfection, 
and  will  have  that  rich  nutty  flavour  so  often  de- 
sired and  seldom  had,  and  it  may  be  dug  any  day 
during  the  winter. 

Level  cultivation  is  practised  by  a  number  of 
growers,  but  I  have  always  found  celery  to  do  better 
when  planted  in  trenches,  as  I  believe  the  roots 
remain  in  a  cooler  condition. 

CAULIFLOWER  —  Sow    March    I,    and   for    sue- 


1 30  GARDEN  PROFITS 

cession,  every  three  weeks  until  April  15.  Varieties: 
Early  Snowball,  Gilt  Edge. 

Sow  in  drills  one-half  inch  deep  and  four  inches 
apart.  As  soon  as  the  plants  have  made  their 
first  set  of  true  leaves,  transplant  to  another  bed, 
setting  the  plants  about  four  inches  apart.  Water 
and  shade  and  give  all  the  air  possible.  About 
April  15,  transplant  to  open  ground  in  good  rich 
soil.  Set  the  plants  about  two  feet  apart  each 
way,  water  freely  at  all  times  and  stir  the  soil  fre- 
quently. A  little  nitrate  of  soda  or  commercial 
fertilizer  strewn  around  the  plants  will  hasten  their 
growth,  and  when  they  show  signs  of  heading, 
break  over  the  centre  a  few  of  the  leaves  to  keep 
the  flower  white  and  to  protect  it  from  the  sun. 
Cauliflower  cannot  be  raised  in  the  hottest  weather. 
For  fall  use,  sow  the  seeds  of  Snowball  and  large 
Algiers  in  the  open  ground  on  June  20  and  July  II, 
transplanting  as  already  described.  The  latter 
variety  is  the  largest  and  best  variety  grown  but 
is  good  only  for  late  crop.  Cauliflower  takes  from 
twelve  to  fifteen  weeks  to  mature. 

CABBAGE  —  Sow  March  I,  and  for  succession 
June  I.  Varieties:  early,  Wake  field;  second  early, 
Succession;  late,  Flat  Dutch,  Savoy,  Autumn  King. 

What  has  been  said  of  the  culture  of  cauliflower 
is  equally  true  of  cabbage.  Both  need  the  same 
treatment.  Give  good  cultivation  and  for  cabbage 
worm,  dust  the  plants  with  an  insecticide  or  with 
lime. 

Cabbage  can  be  kept  through  winter  by  digging 
a  trench  about  six  inches  deep,  setting  the  heads 


FRAMES  AND  HOTBEDS  131 

in  it  roots  up,  and  covering  with  soil  and  litter 
sufficient  to  keep  out  the  frost. 

PEAS  —  Sow  March  I,  and  for  succession,  every 
two  weeks  until  June  I,  beginning  as  soon  as  the 
ground  can  be  worked.  Varieties:  extra  early ',  Nott's 
Excelsior,  Daniel  O'Rourke,  and  Gradus;  second 
early,  Duke  of  York;  medium  and  late,  Champion 
of  England  and  Telephone. 

.  Fresh,  home-grown  peas  in  the  middle  of  May 
are  a  luxury,  yet  they  may  be  had  by  sowing  Nott's 
Excelsior  in  coldframes  early  in  March.  Sow  in 
drills,  which  are  one  foot  apart  and  two  inches  deep. 
They  require  a  cool,  moist  situation.  After  the 
plants  have  attained  a  height  of  six  inches,  give 
a  light  dressing  of  commercial  fertilizer  strewn 
over  the  surface  of  the  soil,  so  that  it  may  be  washed 
in  when  watering.  It  will  materially  help  the  plants. 
They  will  be  ready  for  use  in  about  ten  weeks. 
Peas  sown  after  June  I,  may  not  do  well;  if  the 
weather  is  too  hot  they  are  liable  to  mildew.  To 
grow  the  best  peas,  give  them  a  deep,  rich  loam. 
For  outdoor  culture,  Nott's  Excelsior  and  Daniel 
O'Rourke  can  be  sown  in  drills  which  are  three 
inches  deep  and  two  feet  apart;  the  later  varieties, 
Champion  of  England,  Duke  of  York  and  Tele- 
phone must  not  be  less  than  four  feet  apart.  When 
the  plants  have  attained  a  height  of  about  six 
inches,  pull  about  their  stems  about  two  inches 
of  earth ;  the  plants  must  be  supported  by  chicken- 
wire  or  brush. 

A  few  drills  of  radishes  may  be  sown  between 
the  peas  in  the  frames.  They  will  be  ready  for 


I3 2  GARDEN  PROFITS 

use  in  about  four  weeks;  gather  when  crisp  and 
tender.  Early  French  Forcing  and  Ne  Plus  Ultra 
are  good  varieties  for  outdoor  culture.  Sow  every 
two  weeks  until  September  i.  White  Summer 
and  Chartier  are  ^ood  varieties  for  summer 
sowing. 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN 

BEING    A    DETAILED    CALENDAR    GUIDE    TO    THE 
WORK  OF  EACH  MONTH  BY  WHICH  You  CAN 
HAVE  A  REALLY  EFFICIENT  GARDEN  AL- 
THOUGH     WITHOUT      PREVIOUS 
EXPERIENCE 

NOTE:  —  These  directions  are  arranged  consecutively,  both  as  to  season  and 
garden  operations.  The  monthly  divisions  are  indicated  to  simplify  the  plan,  but 
it  must  be  remembered  that  these  are  largely  arbitrary.  Certain  work  may  be  done 
in  any  one  of  several  months,  therefore,  the  reader  must  use  his  judgment  and  adapt 
his  actions  to  his  special  conditions.  But,  in  every  possible  case,  let  him  take  up 
each  piece  of  work  as  soon  as  it  is  mentioned,  and  complete  it  without  delay.  There 
cannot  be  for  the  gardener  too  many  reminders  never  to  "  put  off  till  to-morrow, 
what  can  be  done  to-day." 

THE  PLANNING  SEASON:  DECEMBER  TO   FEB- 
RUARY. 

WO  is   thinking  of  gardening  in 
January?      What    can    be  done 
vhen    everything    is  frozen    up 
;ight?     I    have  been  gardening 
:or    a    number     of     years,  and 
have  never  let  the  month  of  January  get  by  with- 
out having  all  my  seeds  procured  and  my  garden 
133 


I34  GARDEN  PROFITS 

planned.  I  think  a  great  deal  of  the  trouble  with 
our  gardens  lies  in  the  fact  that  the  amateur  has 
not  yet  grasped  the  idea  of  practical  gardening; 
for  it  is  just  as  easy  to  run  a  garden  prop- 
erly as  it  is  to  neglect  it.  The  yield  of  these  so- 
called  gardens  is  a  very  small  percentage  of  what 
the  ground  should  produce. 

And  yet  these  months  are  not  solely  for  plan- 
ning. After  the  first  season,  there  will  be  hotbeds 
and  coldframes  to  care  for,  vegetables  in  pits  and 
trenches  to  watch  and  various  other  cultural  op- 
erations to  keep  track  of.  I  am  going  to  presume, 
however,  that  we  are  starting  a  garden  for  the  first 
time  so  that  there  will  be  no  last  season's  crops  to 
think  of,  and  no  experience  to  make  use  of.  I 
shall  let  the  year  and  these  directions  begin  simul- 
taneously. 

JANUARY 

The  Garden  Plan.  The  very  first  thing  to  do 
is  to  draw  a  good-sized  map  of  your  garden,  ac- 
curately and  to  scale,  showing  just  how  much 
space  you  have,  and  where  any  obstructions,  such 
as  boulders,  trees,  permanent  walks,  etc.,  are  located. 
Of  course,  we  will  hope  that  the  ground  is  not  shaded 
and  is  sufficiently  drained;  if  it  slopes  a  little,  so 
much  the  better,  especially  if  towards  the  south. 

Your  next  step  will  depend  on  your  available 
space,  for  the  small  fruits  which  should  be  a  part 
of  most  gardens,  would  have  to  be  left  out  in  plan- 
ning for  less  than  a  50  x  50  foot  space.  In  such  a 
case,  there  need  be  no  special  paths  laid  out,  for 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    135 

it  is  far  better  to  grow  everything  in  rows  running 
the  length  of  the  garden  (north  and  south  if  possi- 
ble). Long  rows  make  necessary  fewer  turns 
when  cultivating. 

Some  General  Advice.  If  there  is  room  for  berry 
bushes,  put  them  (i)  all  at  one  end  of  the  garden  or 
(2)  all  around  it,  in  a  three  or  four  foot  strip.  Even 
apples,  pears,  etc.,  can  be  grown  in  this  space,  by 
using  the  dwarf  trees,  and  training  them  on  the 
walls,  or  fences  bounding  the  garden. 

Keep  the  rows  of  perennial  vegetables  (asparagus, 
horseradish  and  rhubarb)  together,  at  the  end  of  the 
garden,  so  that  the  rest  can  be  plowed  in  one  piece. 

Plan  to  have  the  rows  of  root  crops  together,  as 
they  are  all  subject  to  the  same  diseases,  and  by 
moving  all  the  rows  from  place  to  place  each  year, 
you  can  lessen  the  chances  of  such  diseases  becoming 
established. 

Such  quick  growing  plants  as  lettuce,  radish  and 
spinach,  need  not  be  given  special  rows  as  they  can 
be  put  in  between  larger,  slower  growing  kinds. 

Make  two  plans,  or  else  a  compound  one,  the  first 
part  giving  the  first  crops,  and  those  that  will  remain 
all  season,  and  the  second,  giving  the  succession  crops 
i.  e.,  those  that  fill  in  after  a  crop  is  removed,  or  are 
planted  between  permanent  rows  already  sowed. 

To  find  out  just  how  many  rows  of  each  vegetable 
you  will  need,  and  how  much  seed  you  must  use 
to  plant  the  space,  I  have  compiled  the  following 
table  from  standard  authorities,  and  actual  results 
in  an  average,  well-cared-for  garden.  To  use  it, 
merely  decide  how  many  pecks,  plants  or  heads 


136 


GARDEN  PROFITS 


you  will  want,  then  compute  the  number  of  fifty  - 
foot  rows  you  will  need. 

SEEDS   AND   YIELDS   FOR   A   DEFINITE  AREA 


FINAL 

DIS- 

AVERAGE 

DIS- 

TANCE 

LENGTH 

SEED  TO  SOW 

YIELD  FROM 

TANCE 

VEGETABLE 

SO  FT. 

5O  FT. 

OF 

TWEEN 

YIELDING 

PLANTS 

ROWS 

SEASON 

IN  ROWS 

Beans,  bush 

Hi*. 

3H  Pks. 

4-6" 

24" 

4    weeks 

Beans,  Lima 

L£  pt 

7  pks. 

36" 

42" 

12    weeks 

Beans,  pole 
Beets 

Jpt.  '(IS  hills) 
I  oz. 

10  pks. 
10  bunches 

36" 
3-6" 

42" 
15" 

14    weeks 
July  i,-all 

and  i  bu. 

winter 

Cabbage 

I  oz.=3coo  plants 

25  heads 

24" 

24" 

12    weeks 

(25  plants) 

early    or 

all  winter 

Carrot 

I  OZ. 

10  bunches 

2-4" 

12" 

July8,-all 

and  ?4  bu 

winter 

Corn 
Cucumbers 

\  pt.  (16  hills) 
1  oz.  (10  hills) 

7  doz. 
5  doz. 

20-36" 
48-60" 

30-36" 
48-60" 

12    weeks 
4    weeks 

Eggplant 

i  oz.=  iooo  plants 

80  "eggs" 

24-30" 

30" 

12    weeks 

(20  plants) 

Lettuce                \i  oz. 

75  heads 

6-12" 

12" 

10    weeks 

Okra 

I  OZ. 

500  pods 

24" 

30" 

13    weeks 

Peas 

I  pt. 

2  pks. 

i" 

24-30" 

4    weeks 

Peppers 

ioz.=  iooo  plants 

40  doz. 

15-18" 

30" 

I  6    weeks 

(32  plants) 

Potatoes 

25  tubers 

i£  bu. 

10-12" 

24" 

Till    used 

(50  hills) 

Radish 

V£  oz. 

3-4" 

12" 

Spinach 

M  oz. 

2^  Pks. 

3-6" 

12" 

4    week* 

Squash 

i  oz.  (16  hills) 

175  squash     48-96" 

48-96" 

Sept.,-all 

• 

winter 

Tomatoes 

I  oz.=  1500  plant 

7bu.           ;  18" 

36-48" 

20  weeks 

Turnips 

/^  oz 

1%  bu. 

4-6" 

12" 

Oct.io,-all 

winter 

Transplanted  Vegetables.  Some  vegetables  will 
have  to  be  grown  for  a  time  indoors  or  in  a  hotbed 
and  later  transplanted  to  the  rows  you  have  alloted 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    137 


them.     These    rows    can    sometimes    be    used    for 
radish,  lettuce  and  spinach  in  the  meantime.     The 


VEGETABLE 

sow  (WITH  HEAT) 

TRANSPLANT 

WHEN 

HOW 

TO  POTS 

TO  COLD- 
FRAME 

TO  OPEN 
GROUND 

SPACE 
OUT- 
DOORS 

Cabbage 

Feb.  I- 

Drills, 

Mar.  15- 

Apr.  15 

2x3' 

Mar.i 

4" 

Mar.  30 

4x4" 

Cauliflower 

Feb.  i- 

Drills, 

Mar.  15- 

Apr.  15 

2X2' 

Mar.  i 

4" 

Mar.  30 

4  x4" 

Celery 

Feb.  i- 

Drills 

When  i' 

July  i- 

6  x  10" 

Mar.  i 

high 

30 

Rows  4' 

apart 

Eggplant 

Mar.  15 

Drills 

When  3" 

May  15 

June  i— 

2x3' 

high 

Keep  in 

TO 

pots 

Lettuce  (i) 

Feb.  I 

Broad- 

When 

cast 

with  true 

leaves 

9x9" 

Lettuce  (2) 

Mar.  i 

Broad- 

When 

cast 

with  true 

leaves 

9x9" 

Lettuce  (3) 

Mar.  15 

Broad- 

When 

cast 

with  true 

'  leaves 

4x4" 

April  15 

9x  12" 

Pepper 

Mar.  15 

Drills 

When  3" 

May  is 

June  i— 

2  x  2'  or 

high 

(Keep  in 

10 

2x3' 

pots) 

Tomato  (i) 

Mar.  i 

Drills 

When  3" 

May  15 

2x4' 

high 

5  xs" 

Tomato  (2) 

Apr.  15 

Drills 

When  3" 

June  15 

4x4" 

high 

-30 

S  x  5" 

i38  GARDEN  PROFITS 

vegetables  that  will  be  handled  in  this  way,  together 
with  the  approximate  dates  for  sowing  and  trans- 
planting, are  given  on  page  137.  Lettuce  and  radish 
can  be  grown  even  to  maturity  under  glass,  giving 
fresh  vegetables  practically  all  winter.  If  you 
have  room  to  spare,  you  can  well  afford  to  start 
some  extra  cabbage  plants,  to  be  sold  later  for 
twenty-five  cents  a  dozen.  Of  some  of  these  crops 
there  will  be  later,  outdoor  sowings,  but  the  culture 
will  then  be  simpler,  as  directed  under  seasonal 
planting  hints. 

After  you  have  planned  the  garden,  do  it  again, 
even  two  or  three  times,  that  you  may  feel  sure 
you  have  planned  to  use  the  ground  all  the  time  with 
the  least  waste.  Don't  be  afraid  to  change  the 
plan  the  second  year,  either,  for  the  season's  ex- 
perience will  give  you  a  number  of  new  and  im- 
proved ideas. 

Catalogues  and  Seedsmen.  By  this  time,  you 
probably  have  sent  for  seed  catalogues  and  re- 
ceived them.  Of  course,  there  is  plenty  of  fun  to 
be  obtained  from  studying  half-a-dozen  of  these, 
comparing  prices,  claims,  pictures  and  so  on,  but 
that  is  not  the  most  economical  way.  You  will 
do  better,  and  save  time,  if  you  choose  one  reliable 
one,  and  make  out  your  complete  seed  list  from 
that.  You  will  already  know  how  much  you  need 
and  perhaps  will  have  heard  of  some  particular 
variety  that  you  want  to  try.  However,  if  you  are 
limited  as  to  space  and  capital,  better  stick  to  one 
or  two  standard  varieties,  and  experiment,  if  at 
all,  very  gently  for  the  first  year  or  so. 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    139 

Good  Seed.  Do  not  make  out  your  seed  list  and 
then  go  around  looking  for  the  man  that  can  supply 
you  the  cheapest.  Do  not  buy  cheap  seeds.  We 
Americans  buy  seeds  too  cheaply;  if  seeds  in  England 
were  offered  at  the  same  price  that  they  are  in 
America,  they  would  not  be  considered  worth 
planting  in  a  garden  worthy  of  the  name.  In 
England,  their  novelties  in  peas,  for  instance,  sell 
for  seventy-five  to  eighty  cents  per  pint,  while 
here  they  are  retailed  at  twenty  cents.  I  honestly 
believe  you  will  get  full  value  for  your  money, 
whichever  you  buy,  by  which  I  mean  that  their 
seeds  are  better  than  ours.,  Do  not  infer  from  this 
that  American  seeds  are  not  good.  They  are  just 
as  good  as  the  English  seeds  in  germination,  but 
we  have  not  attained  the  perfection  of  qualities  in 
the  varieties  that  they  have  over  there.  It  is  good 
economy  to  buy  the  highest  grade  of  seeds  offered. 

Kinds  and  Varieties.  While  we  all  have  our 
favorite  varieties  of  various  species,  one  must  al- 
ways remember  that  others  may  think  differently. 
If  it  were  not  so,  the  seedsmen  would  handle  but 
one  variety  of  each  kind.  I  am  not  infallible,  but 
speaking  generally,  the  varieties  here  mentioned 
will,  I  think,  be  found  satisfactory.  Where  there 
are  early  and  late  vegetables  of  one  species,  I  give 
the  best  variety  of  both: 

Asparagus  Palmetto,    Early    Argenteuil 

Bean,  bush  Black  Valentine 

Bean,  bush,  Lima  Burpee's 

Bean,  bush,  wax  Currie's  Rustproof 

Bean,  pole,  Lima  Ford's  Mammoth 


140 


GARDEN  PROFITS 


Beet 

Broccoli 

Bruscels  sprouts 

Borecole 

Cabbage 

Cabbage,  red 

Cabbage,  Savoy 

Carrot 

Cauliflower 

Celery 

Corn 

Cucumber 

Eggplant 

Endive 

Leek 

Kohlrabi 

Lettuce 

Lettuce,  Cos 

Muskmelon 

Okra 

Onion,  yellow 

Onion,  red 

Onion,  white 

Parsley 

Parsnip 

Pepper 

Peas 

Peas,  best  quality 

Peas,  biggest  cropper 

Pumpkin 

Potato,  early 

Potato,  late 

Rutabaga 

Salsify 

Spinach 

Spinach,  summer 

Squash 

Tomato,  early 

Tomato,  main  crop 

Turnip 

Watermelon 


Eclipse 

Walcheren 

Long  Island  Improved 

Dwarf  Green  Scotch 

Wakefield  Early 

Drumhead 

Drumhead  Savoy 

Guerande 

Extra  Early  Erfurt 

Chicago 

Golden  Bantam,  Stowell's 

Evergreen 
The  Davis 

New  York  Improved  Purple 
Broad-leaved    Batavian 
American  Flag 
White  Vienna 
Big  Boston 
Paris  White 
Emerald  Gem 
White  Velvet 
Danvers 
Wethersfield 
Southport 
Extra  Moss-curled 
American  Hollow  Crown 
Cardinal 

Alaska,  Earliest  of  All 
Gradus 
Telephone 
Large  Cheese 
Noroton  Beauty 
Carman  No.  3 
Long  Island  Improved 
Mammoth  Sandwich  Island 
Long  Standing 
New  Zealand 
Vegetable  Marrow 
Earliana 
Freedom 
Strap-leaved 
Cole's  Early 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    141 


Just  because  the  weather  is    cold,  don't  put  off 
sending  your  order.      Mail  it  at  once  and  avoid  all 

chances  of  having 
your  seed  delayed. 
Keeping    Seeds. 
It  is   not   easy  to 
destroy  the  vital- 
A  hand  weeder  and  scarifier  ity  of  seeds,  but  a 

little  care  will  avoid  trouble  in  the  busy  season. 
When  you  receive  your  seeds  store  them  in  a  cool, 
frostproof  place  where  they  will  be  perfectly  dry. 
If  you  are  troubled  with  mice  and  do  not  think  you 
can  afford  a  proper  mouse-proof  seed  chest,  use  an 
old  bread  tin. 

Tools  and  Repairs.  The  chances  are,  that  if 
you  haven't  gardened  before,  you  will  not  be  sup- 
plied with  tools.  Do  not  try  to  run  your  garden 
with  a  spade  and  a  hoe;  but  on  the  other  hand, 
you  do  not  need  a  2-horse 
cultivator  for  a  small  garden. 
The  following  tools  I  have 
found  very  useful:  spade,  dig- 
ging fork,  manure  fork,  aspar- 
agus knife,  draw  hoe,  scuffle 
hoe,  hose  and  sprinkler,  12- 
inch  labels,  garden  line  and 
reel,  raffia  for  tying,  shovel, 
trowel,  watering  pot  and 
wheelbarrow.  A  roller  is  also 
very  useful;  if  you  do  not 
wish  to  go  to  the  expense  of 
devised  buying  one,  make  it  yourself. 


Trowels  for  special  pur- 
poses. The  broad,  general 
purpose  form  is  found  in 
every  garden.  The  rounded 
"Slim  Jim"  is  useful  in 
setting  bulbs  and  deep 
rooted  plants.  The  V-shap- 
ed type  is  one  of  the  hand- 


I42  GARDEN  PROFITS 

Make  a  cylinder  of  sheet  iron,  riveting  it  securely. 
Run  an  axle  shaft  through  the  centre  and  fill  the 
cylinder  with  cement.  After  the  cement  hardens 
put  on  a  handle  and  it  is  ready  for  use.  A  roller 
for  seeds  should  weigh  about  1 50  pounds  per  running 
foot.  The  size  can  be  easily  figured  out,  as  cement 
weighs  a  trifle  over  100  pounds  per  cubic  foot. 

The  roller  is  especially  use- 
ful in  dry  seasons,  when  the 
soil  needs  more  than  ever  to  be 
brought  into  close  contact  with 
the  seeds.  At  this  stage  how- 
ever, the  usefulness  of  the  hoe 
becomes  apparent.  The  sur- 
face of  the  ground  should  be 
kept  loose  and  the  scuffle-hoe  or 
scarifier  (illustrated  on  page 
172)  is  the  tool  with  which  to 
keep  it  so.  Some  like  the  rake, 
but  I  revel  in  the  action  of  the 
scuffle  as  it  rips  under  the 
young  weeds,  cuts  away  their 

•niree  useful  forms  of  TOOt*>  and  leaves  them  exposed 
hoes  for  garden  work  to  the  sunlight.  While  under 
its  influence  the  surface  soil  crumbles  to  a  powdery 
mass.  Other  styles  of  hoe  are  equally  useful  for  other 
kinds  of  work.  The  heart-shaped  blade,  shown  at 
the  left,  can  run  a  drill  of  any  desired  depth  and 
width:  the  narrow-bladed  form  reaches  in  among 
the  bushes  and  plants  even  where  the  scuffle  will  not: 
while  for  heavier  weeding  and  hilling  what  can  take 
the  place  of  the  old-fashioned,  broad-headed  article? 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    143 

A  measuring  rod  is  also  a  useful  garden  tool. 
Get  a  lo-foot  stick  about  one  inch  square,  and  paint 
one  side  white.  Then  measure  accurately  and  at 
every  twelve  inches  cut  a  notch  quite  deep  and 


The  garden-line  and  the  ten-foot  measuring  stick  are  often  very 
useful  and  occasionally  indispensable 

all  around  the  stick.  Then  mark  the  feet,  plainly 
from  one  to  ten,  using  black  paint  or  indelible 
pencil.  Cut  a  small  notch  in  between  each  large 
notch  for  the  one-half  foot  measure. 

For  large  gardens,  the  wheel  cultivator  and  seed 
drill  are  very  useful,  but  small  gardens  can  exist 
without  them.  A  spray  pump,  however,  is  indis- 
pensable to  a  successful  garden.  If  you  haven't 
any,  you  can  easily  rig  one  up. 

For  anyone  who  wants  to  purchase  some  or  ail 


144  GARDEN  PROFITS 

of  the  tools,  or  who  wants  to  know  what  he  can 
save  by  improvising  in  some  cases,  the  following 
table  may  be  useful.  It  will  be  wise,  however,  to 
appreciate  at  once  the  fact  that  the  hand  tools, 
especially,  must  be  of  the  best,  to  give  the  best  and 
most  economical  results. 

Roller $  8.00 

Wheel  hoe 8.50 

Sprayer 3-75 

Spade  and  2  forks 3.00 

2  Hoes          2.00 

Rake .75 

Weeder 35 

Trowel .50 

Total $26.85 

All  old  tools  should  be  looked  over  carefully  at 
this  time  and  repaired  where  necessary.  Do  not 
throw  away  a  spade  or  fork  because  the  handle  is 
broken;  buy  a  new  handle  and  put  it  on.  All  tools 
should  be  in  first-class  shape  and  ready  for  the  busy 
season.  Clean  out  the  tool  house  or  place  where 
the  tools  are  kept,  put  up  pegs  to  hang  the  tools  on, 
dip  all  the  metal  parts  in  kerosene  and  rub  with  a 
rag  and  a  little  vaseline  to  prevent  them  from 
rusting.  Keep  the  tool  house  in  a  neat,  tidy  con- 
dition —  have  it  so  that  you  can  go  in  at  night  and 
be  able  to  pick  out  what  you  want  without  a  light. 

Other  Odd  Jobs  About  the  Garden.  Now  is  a  good 
time  to  cut  pea  brush  and  cart  it  home.  That  is, 
if  you  live  where  you  can  do  so.  If  not,  you  will 
have  to  use  wire,  which  is  good,  but  not  as  satis- 
factory as  the  sticks.  While  some  people  call  the 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    145 

dwarf  peas,  which  do  not  require  brush,  the  "lazy 
man's  pea,"  I  am  not  sure  that,  in  the  very  small 
garden,  they  would  not  be  the  best,  for  they  need 
less  space  and  less  attention. 

Perhaps  you  will  have  some  warm  days  at  this 
time,  when  you  can  clean  up  stones  and  rubbish 
and  prepare  for  the  real  garden-making  later  on. 

Manure.  See  if  you  cannot  buy  manure  now, 
and  haul  it,  unless  you  are  saving  it  from  animals 
of  your  own.  In  either  case,  arrange  to  keep  it 
sheltered  from  rain  and  snow,  and  fork  it  over 
now  and  then.  The  more  rotten  and  the  finer  it 
becomes  the  better,  and  thorough  mixing  will  help 
break  up  whatever  rubbish  you  can  add  to  the 
compost  pile.  Dry  leaves,  lawn  cuttings,  vegetable 
waste  from  the  kitchen,  all  such  material  will  add  to 
the  value  of  the  manure. 

If  you  are  buying  it,  be  as  liberal  as  you  possibly 
can.  Get  rid  of  the  idea  that  you  can  put  too  much 
good  manure  on  your  garden.  You  can  make  away 
with  five  tons  on  a  plot  50  x  50  ft.  and  if  there  is 
any  surplus,  save  it  to  make  liquid  manure  during 
the  growing  season. 

The  First  Planting.  The  very  earliest  vegetables, 
to  which  I  have  referred  above,  can  be  planted 
under  glass,  the  end  of  this  month,  but  they  must 
be  given  warmth  and  protection.  The  ideal  place 
is  a  green  house,  but  a  satisfactory  substitute  is  a 
bay  window,  in  which  is  placed  a  stand  or  table 
with  its  top  at  the  level  of  the  sill.  Use  "flats" 
or  wooden  boxes  about  24  x  12  x  4  in.  with  a  fairly 
loose  bottom.  First,  spread  about  one  inch  of 


i46  GARDEN  PROFITS 

coarse  gravel  or  cinders  for  drainage;  upon  this  a 
little  coarse  soil  or  broken  sod,  then  fine  screened 
soil  to  within  half  an  inch  of  the  top.  Level  and 
firm  this  surface,  sowing  the  seeds  rather  thickly 
and  covering  but  slightly  with  fine  sand.  Firm 
again  and  sprinkle.  Change  the  boxes  about  on 
the  stand  frequently,  and  try  to  keep  the  temper- 
ature from  going  lower  than  50  degrees  F.  at  night; 
do  not  water  too  freely,  but  only  when  the  soil 
seems  nearly  dry. 


The  "flat"  Is  the  indoor,  early-spring,  seed-bed.  Any  box  about 
24  x  12  In.  and  from  three  to  six  inches  deep  will  do.  Make  several 
holes  (d)  in  the  bottom.  Put  a  layer  of  stones  or  gravel  (c) :  then 
some  roots,  moss  or  coarse  sand  (b) :  and  on  top  an  inch  or  so  of 
finely  sifted,  light,  sandy  soil  (a) 

For  the  Fruit  Garden.  It  is  not  too  early  to  order 
the  fruits  that  you  are  going  to  plant  in  the  spring. 
You  will  stand  a  far  better  chance  of  getting  good 
stock  and  your  nurseryman  will  probably  arrange 
to  deliver  it  whenever  you  wish,  say  the  middle  of 
March. 

Fruit  in  the  Garden  Plan.  Decide  just  where  you 
are  going  to  put  your  fruit  and  locate  each  bush, 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    147 

tree  and  plant  on  the  plan.  If  you  are  going  to  have 
a  series  of  rows,  plan  for  the  following  distances 
at  least: 

Dwarf  apples,  pears,  etc. .  10  x  10  ft. 

Grapes 6  x    8  ft. 

Currants,  gooseberries        .         4  x    6  ft. 
Raspberries,  blackberries   .         3x6  and  4  x  7  ft. 
Strawberries      ....          ix    4  (rows)  or  1 3^ x  ^2  ft. (beds) 

Varieties.  As  to  varieties  and  the  number  of 
plants  needed,  you  must  satisfy  (i)  your  locality, 
(2)  your  personal  taste,  (3)  available  space.  Cer- 
tain varieties  are  suggested  in  these  pages.  Be- 
sides this,  your  State  Experiment  Station  will  tell 
you  what  kinds  are  hardy  for  your  section  and  per- 
haps you  will  have  a  neighbor  who  grows  fruit, 
or  a  friendly  nurseryman,  who  will  tell  you  the 
facts  concerning  the  eating  qualities  of  different 
varieties. 

Special  Requirements.  If  you  want  to  try  the 
dwarf  trees,  to  save  space,  arrange  to  grow  apples, 
pears,  plums  or  cherries  on  the  south  side  of  walls 
or  fences.  Peaches  and  apricots  will  be  more  pro- 
tected from  an  early  start  and  subsequent  frost 
injury,  on  the  north  side.  These  trees  can  be 
grown  on  wire  trellisses  if  you  desire. 

Grapes  will  grow  almost  anywhere  in  the  garden, 
and  can  be  made  doubly  useful  in  covering  unsightly 
objects,  doorways,  etc. 

Currants,  gooseberries  and  all  the  brambles, 
like  a  cool  location;  a  northern  slope  is  excellent, 
and  shade  is  desirable,  if  not  too  dense  and  con- 
tinuous. 


I48  GARDEN  PROFITS 

The  strawberries  want  a  warmer,  sunny  location, 
but  in  small-scale  gardening,  can  be  grown  between 
the  rows  of  bush  fruits  or  dwarfs.  This  inter- 
planting  will,  however,  need  increased  manuring, 
since  we  are  doubling  the  call  on  the  supply  of  plant 
food  from  a  single  area. 

FEBRUARY 

Hotbeds.  February  is  the  month  of  hotbeds  — 
the  time  to  build  them  and  to  find  them  most  useful. 
I  need  not  enlarge  on  the  reasons  for  having  a  hot- 
bed; they  are  clearly  illustrated  in  the  early  ma- 
turity, size  and  perfection  of  vegetables  started 
under  glass.  Under  our  new  scheme  of  intensifying 
results,  the  hotbed  assumes  an  even  greater  impor- 
tance than  formerly,  so  you  must  certainly  plan 
for  one  or  more.  Complete  hotbed  directions  are 
included  in  Chapter  IV. 

The  Growing  Plants.  During  this  month,  keep 
the  seedling  cabbages,  cauliflowers  and  lettuce 
(if  you  planted  any  in  January)  moist  and  pro- 
tected from  cold.  As  soon  as  they  become  at  all 
crowded,  you  will  have  a  chance  to  use  your  hot- 
bed. If  it  is  not  ready,  you  will  have  to  make  more 
flats,  for  the  seedlings,  when  about  an  inch  high, 
must  be  transplanted.  Set  them  two  or  three 
inches  apart  each  way,  making  a  hole  in  the  fine, 
levelled  soil  with  a  small  stick  or  pencil  and  pinch- 
ing the  earth  firmly  about  the  plant.  This  trans- 
planting will  probably  take  care  of  the  plants  till 
they  can  be  set  in  the  ground.  If  the  season  is 
late,  it  may  be  necessary  to  shift  the  cabbage  once 
more  into  the  beds  as  is  described  above  in  the 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    149 

scheme  for  managing  hotbeds.  Some  lettuce  may 
be  matured  there  if  you  can  spare  room  for  the 
heads,  to  be  thinned  to  nine  inches  apart  each  way. 
New  Plantings.  Other  vegetables  that  you  should 
sow  this  month,  in  the  same  general  way  as  I  have 
directed  for  the  cabbage,  are  onions  (and  leeks), 
celery,  about  the  middle  of  the  month,  and  more 
cabbage,  cauliflower,  and  Brussels  sprouts,  if  you 
like  them,  about  the  end  of  February.  This  will 
be  your  main  "early  crop,"  the  January  planting 
being  merely  a  small,  extra-early  attempt  to  gain 
time  and,  often,  to  take  advantage  of  the  call  for 
early  cabbage  plants. 


The  brambles  make  a  lot  of  unnecessary  growth  in  a  season.  Prune 
them  during  the  resting  or  dormant  .winter  period;  anytime  fron? 
November  to  March,  but  no  later 

If  conditions  are  really  favorable  for  keeping 
them  warm,  sow  tomatoes,  eggplant  and  peppers, 
just  about  the  end  of  the  month.  For  all  of  these 


1 5o  GARDEN  PROFITS 

you  will  need  but  a  little  seed,  as  you  can  see  by 
the  January  table.  However,  always  sow  at  least 
twice  as  much  seed  as  you  wish  plants,  to  allow 
for  the  failure  of  some  of  the  seeds  to  germinate, 
and  to  give  you  a  chance  to  select  the  best  seedlings 
for  transplanting. 


The  bramble  bush  after  being 
pruned.  Leave  only  a  few  strong 
canes,  and  head  these  back  to  a 
length  of  two  or  three  feet 

Fruitward  Thoughts.  If  you  have  any  bright 
days  when  you  can  dig  in  the  garden,  begin  to  fit 
the  ground  for  your  fruits.  Dig  it  thoroughly; 
three  feet  deep  is  not  too  much;  take  out  the  soil 
and  put  back  a  mixture  of  soil,  manure  and,  if 
the  land  is  heavy,  sand  or  coal  ashes.  The  bush 
fruits  and  strawberries,  especially,  like  a  fairly 
light,  well  drained  soil,  while  for  peaches,  it  is  es- 
sential. 

THE  SEASON  OF  PLANTING:  MARCH  TO  JUNE 

Correct  and  careful  planting  is  a  vital  necessity 
in  a  successful  garden.  If  you  have  kept  ahead  of 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN  "151 

the  preliminary  work  up  to  now,  you  will  be  better 
off  than  many  a  gardener,  but  you  must,  if  anything, 
increase  your  care  and  promptness  from  this  time  on. 
Don't  let  over-cautious  conservatives  worry  you 
by  suggesting  that  it  is  "too  early  to  plant  this  or 
that."  If  you  follow  these  directions  you  may,  it 
is  true,  lose  some  plants,  perhaps  a  small  crop,  by 
frost.  But  then,  a  few  cents'  worth  of  seed  is  not 
so  much  to  lose  at  this  time,  whereas  there  is  a  good 
chance  that  the  plants  will  stand,  and  you  will  be 
the  gainer  by  days,  or  even  weeks.  Most  certainly 
take  some  such  risks.  The  game  is  very  worth  the 
candle. 

MARCH 

Planting  and  Transplanting.  March  is  a  very 
busy  month  for  the  progressive  gardener.  Seed 
sown  now  sprouts,  but,  because  of  cool  nights,  the 
top  growth  is  slow.  The  roots,  however,  are 
foraging  and  as  soon  as  climatic  conditions  are  right, 
you  have  a  big-rooted  plant  ready  to  push  right 
ahead. 

I  am  supposing  that  you  have  already  started 
some  of  the  hardier  plants  in  the  hotbed,  and 
perhaps  a  few  tomatoes,  eggplant  and  peppers, 
indoors.  If  you  haven't  done  this  start  the  cab- 
bages, etc.,  at  once.  The  tender  seedlings  must  be 
kept  indoors  until  the  middle  of  the  month,  but  at 
that  time  you  can  start  some  more  in  the  hotbed. 

If  the  temperature  goes  too  low  for  these  soft, 
sappy  plants  they  soon  turn  yellow  and  it  takes  a 
long  time  to  get  them  back  to  normal  condition. 


IS2  GARDEN  PROFITS 

But  in  a  properly  prepared  hotbed,  it  is  safe  to  sow 
them  any  time  after  March  15.  A  good  plan  is 
to  partition  off  the  section  used  so  that  it  can  be 
kept  slightly  warmer  than  the  balance  of  the  frame; 
and  if  you  have  space  to  spare  in  the  cool  part  of 
che  frame,  sow  some  beets,  carrots  and  parsley. 
These  should  be  sown  broadcast  and  rather  thinly, 
as  they  need  not  be  dibbled  off,  but  can  be  trans- 
planted directly  to  the  garden  when  the  proper  time 
arrives. 

Moving  Last  Month's  Seedlings.  Seed  planted  last 
month  should  by  this  time  have  developed  young 
plants  quite  well  advanced,  and  they  will  soon  be 
ruined  for  want  of  light  and  air.  We  must  now 
prepare  some  sash  for  receiving  the  young  plants. 
Put  the  hot  manure  in  the  frame  the  same  as  you 
did  for  the  seeds;  put  the  soil  on  top,  but  this  time 
it  should  be  rich.  When  it  has  become  well  warmed, 
the  frame  is  ready  to  receive  the  plants.  Take  a 
4-inch  board  the  length  of  your  frame,  place  it 
against  the  end  of  the  prepared  ground  and  mark 
along  the  inside  with  a  sharpened  stick.  Turn 
the  board  over  and  mark  again,  and  so  on  until 
finished.  You  will  not  need  to  mark  the  opposite 
way  if  you  use  a  little  care  in  setting  the  plants. 
If  you  get  the  first  row  right  —  the  plants  four  inches 
apart  —  the  others  will  follow  right  along;  but 
always  "break"  the  rows  —  that  is,  plant  opposite 
the  spaces,  aligning  the  plants  of  alternate  rows. 

Just  How  to  Transplant.  In  setting  out  the  plants 
or  dibbling  off,  a  little  care  must  be  used.  To  begin 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    153 

with,  the  plants  must  not  get  frosted;  so  select  a 
nice  sunny  day,  take  a  seed  pan  or  board  and  lift 
a  clump  of  the  young  seedlings,  covering  them  well 
if  the  weather  is  cold  and  with  a  newspaper  if  the 
sun  is  shining.  Do  not  take  out  any  more  than 


When  transplanting  seedlings  cut  back 
any  that  have  developed  more  than  two 
leaves.  The  cross  lines  indicate  the  relative 
amount  of  leaf  surface  to  be  removed 

fifty  at  one  time.  When  these  are  planted,  return 
to  the  seed  bed  for  more.  Use  a  little  judg- 
ment in  regard  to  the  condition  of  the  soil  both  in 
the  seed  bed  and  frame.  The  soil  should  be  moder- 
ately moist,  and  in  the  newly  prepared  bed,  it  should 
be  about  the  same  as  in  the  seed  bed.  The  ad- 
vantage in  this  is  that  the  roots  will  bind  more 
quickly. 


I54  GARDEN  PROFITS 

"Dibbling."  Take  a  sharpened  stick  about  three 
or  four  times  the  thickness  of  a  lead  pencil,  stick 
it  in  the  ground  and  turn  it  around,  bearing  on  the 
outside  of  the  hole.  With  the  left  hand,  hold  the 
young  plant  by  the  top  of  the  few  leaves,  drop  the 
roots  of  the  seedling  into  the  newly  made  hole  and 
firm.  This  is  done  by  pressing  down  with  the  end 
of  the  stick,  holding  it  almost  horizontal  instead  of 
perpendicular.  The  depression  made  in  the  ground 
is  left,  as  that  forms  an  excellent  medium  for  water- 
ing the  young  seedlings.  Be  careful  to  plant  the 
seedlings  at  the  proper  depth  —  a  mere  trifle  deeper 
if  they  have  had  plenty  of  air  and  light  in  the  seed 
bed.  If  they  have  been  allowed  to  stay  in  the  seed 
bed  too  long,  or  if  the  seed  was  sown  too  thickly, 
the  seedlings  are  very  apt  to  "draw  up"  or  get 
spindly,  and  they  will  have  to  be  set  deeper  accord- 
ingly. This  applies  more  particularly  to  the  cab- 
bage family. 


The  dibble  —  a  great  time  saver 
in  transplanting.  Anybody  can 
make  one 


When  to  "Dibble"  The  proper  time  to  start 
dibbling  the  young  plants  is  when  the  third  leaf 
is  almost  developed;  but  if  it  is  neglected  until 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    155 

after  the  plants  have  passed  this  stage,  a  good 
plan  is  to  pinch  them  back  slightly  after  planting. 
By  removing  about  one-half  of  each  leaf  from 
cabbage,  cauliflower,  celery,  etc.,  the  plants,  hav- 
ing less  to  sustain,  are  not  so  liable  to  flag  and  will 
quickly  start  root  action.  Sprinkle  the  plants  well 
after  planting,  but  do  not  flood  them.  If  the  young 
plants  are  moistened  every  fine  day  in  the  morn- 
ing, from  a  sprinkling  can  with  a  very  fine  rose, 
they  will  pick  up  quickly. 

Paper  Pots.  Another  good  scheme  for  small 
gardens  (but  impracticable  for  large  places  be- 
cause of  the  time  consumed)  is  to  plant  the  seed- 


Old  berry  boxes  are  useful  In  at  least  two  ways,  i.e..  In  place  of 
pots  for  raising  seedlings,  and  for  protecting  newly  set  plants  fro u. 
sun.  wind,  and  frost 

lings  in  paper  flower  pots.  I  do  not  mean  the 
heavy  paper  kind,  but  the  cheap  ones  made  of 
pasteboard.  They  can  be  set  very  close  together 


156  GARDEN  PROFITS 

and  when  planting-out  time  comes,  it  saves  the 
plants  from  a  second  check.  You  need  not  wait 
for  a  dark  rainy  day,  either,  to  do  your  planting,  as 
the  roots,  being  confined,  form  a  ball  and  none  are 
lost  even  though  the  pots  have  been  torn  or  de- 
stroyed. I  do  not  recommend  pots  for  celery 
plants,  but  for  cabbage  and  cauliflower  they  are 
excellent.  I  always  advise  the  use  of  pots  for  egg- 
plants and  peppers.  Save  your  old  berry  boxes 
for  this,  too.  They  can  be  used,  after  the  plants 
are  set,  for  covering  them  on  cold  nights,  and  bright, 
hot  days. 

The  First  Potatoes.  We  are  not  confined  to  the 
hotbed  for  the  month  of  March.  There  are  num- 
erous things  outside  that  can  now  be  done.  Plant 
some  early  potatoes  about  the  end  of  the  month. 
This  is  not  a  joke;  the  sooner  you  realize  that  all 
potatoes  are  better  when  planted  early,  the  better 
it  will  be  for  you.  I  always  try  to  have  them  all 
in  by  the  middle  of  April,  for  by  planting  early  the 
plants  get  well  established  before  the  dry  weather  of 
summer  comes  on. 

In  any  event,  do  not  permit  March  to  pass  with- 
out getting  in  a  few  rows  for  use  about  the  latter 
part  of  June,  (in  the  neighborhood  of  New  York). 
In  planting  early  potatoes  always  use  manure  in 
preference  to  other  fertilizers,  as  it  keeps  the  ground 
slightly  warm  until  the  eyes  throw  out  shoots.  In 
case  of  a  late  frost  after  the  shoots  show  above 
ground,  go  along  the  row  with  a  hoe  and  draw  a 
little  soil  over  them.  In  cutting  seed  potatoes 
always  cut  to  one  eye  and  remove  entirely  the  butt 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    157 

end  with  all  the  eyes  on  it.  After  cutting  the 
potatoes  dip  them  in  sifted  ashes  and  spread  them 
out  on  the  cellar  floor  for  a  day  or  two  to  dry  well 
before  planting. 

Making  an  Asparagus  'Bed.  This  is  also  a  good 
time  to  think  about  setting  out  an  asparagus  bed. 
Do  not  get  the  largest  roots  as  they  are  very  slow 
in  starting.  The  two-year  old  roots  will  be  found 
preferable  to  the  larger  sizes.  To  grow  really  good 
asparagus  you  simply  must  make  a  perfect  bed: 
trench  the  ground  three  feet  deep  —  four  is  even 
better  —  and  add  an  abundance  of  well-rotted 
manure.  Put  four  layers  of  manure  in  each  trench. 
A  year  ago  I  put  into  a  bed  180  feet  long  and  100 
feet  wide  about  100  loads  of  manure. 

Dig  a  trench  about  six  inches  deep  and  about 
twelve  inches  wide,  go  along  the  trench  and 
place  the  young  plants,  crown  up,  about  eighteen 
inches  apart,  taking  care  to  spread  the  roots  nicely. 
Run  the  rows  north  and  south,  if  convenient. 
Throw  a  couple  of  inches  of  soil  over  the  roots  and 
firm  nicely  with  the  feet,  but  don't  tramp  on  the 
crown.  About  the  middle  of  summer  pull  another 
couple  of  inches  of  soil  into  the  trench  and  in  the 
fall,  level  off  the  surface. 

Advice  for  the  Future.  When  your  bed  is  about 
two  months  old,  it  should  be  given  a  liberal  dressing 
of  salt,  which  not  only  kills  weeds  but  serves  as  a 
valuable  fertilizer  and  conserver  of  moisture.  In 
future  Marches,  the  old  bed  should  be  spaded 
over  and  manure  turned  in.  Each  year  the  crowns 
work  nearer  the  surface,  so  that  after  several  years, 


i58 


GARDEN  PROFITS 


it  will  be  necessary  to  hoe  the  soil  up  over  them 
when  digging  manure  into  the  bed.  Do  not  be  afraid 
of  breaking  a  few  roots  in  the  process,  as  new  ones 
will  quickly  shoot  out. 

Rhubarb  Beds,  too.  This,  being  an  extra  early 
vegetable,  must  be  attended  to  now.  Rhubarb  is 
started  from  cuttings  of  the  crown,  and  if  you  can 
find  an  old  bed,  chop  a  few  of  the  roots  into  quarters 
and  set  them  in  your  own  garden,  using  plenty  of 
manure  well  dug  in.  Rhubarb  plants  should  be 
placed  about  two  feet  apart.  Each  year  the  oldest, 
seediest  plants  in  the  bed  can  be  divided  in  this 
way  and  given  new  strength. 


In  the  left  hand  sketch  the  soil  was  not  prepared  deep  enough, 
and  the  manure,  left  near  the  surface  caused  crooked  and  branched 
root  growth.  Deep  soil  and  thorough  mixing  of  soil  and  manure 
are  essentials  in  growing  parsnips,  carrots,  etc. 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    159 

Getting  the  Ground  Ready.  You  can  spread  manure 
this  month,  if  the  snow  has  disappeared  and  per- 
haps the  ground  will  be  thawed  enough  for  break- 
ing up.  On  a  quarter  of  an  acre  or  more,  it  will 
pay  to  hire  someone  to  plow  and  harrow  for  you. 
But  in  most  backyard  gardens,  hand  work  will  be 
the  most  economical,  and  a  little  digging  every 
day  will  prove  a  fine  "spring  medicine"  and  ap- 
petizer. Spread  the  manure  thickly  and  dig  the 
soil  deeply  with  a  spade.  This  means  at  least  a 
foot  or  better  still,  two,  and  the  soil  must  be  broken 
up  thoroughly  and  the  manure  completely  mixed 
with  it. 

Clay  Soils.  If  your  soil  is  clayey,  and  seems  sticky 
you  will  have  to  let  it  dry  out  more,  as  this  kind 
of  soil  can  be  spoiled  for  the  whole  season  by  being 
worked  when  wet.  When  you  can  dig  it  up,  add 
some  fine  coal  ashes,  or  sand,  as  well  as  plenty  of 
manure,  and  you  will  be  saved  a  lot  of  trouble 
next  year.  If  the  ground  is  low  generally,  an 
application  of  air-slaked  lime  will  be  very  beneficial, 
and  it  is  not  too  late  to  do  it  now.  Use  it  plenti- 
fully and  you  will  avoid  many  battles  with  cut- 
worms and  maggots. 

The  Seed  Bed.  After  plowing  or  digging,  as  the 
case  may  be,  comes  repeated  harrowing  (also  to 
be  hired  done),  or  several  rakings.  These  leave  the 
surface  level,  the  soil  compact  and  finely  broken  up, 
and  the  bed  free  from  stones,  sticks  and  unrotted 
bits  of  manure.  The  latter  can  be  thrown  on 
next  year's  compost-manure  pile  to  advantage. 
When  your  soil  is  in  a  fine,  loose  condition,  a  light 


160  GARDEN  PROFITS 

rolling  makes  it  still  better  for  seeding,  but  after- 
wards you  must  go  over  it  with  a  rake  very  lightly, 
to  produce  a  "dust  mulch,"  and  prevent  evapor- 
ation. 

You  can,  perhaps,  sow  some  seeds  of  lettuce, 
peas,  onions,  radish  and  spinach  outside  by  now, 
but  use  your  judgment  as  to  the  weather  and  con- 
ditions of  the  soil.  However,  as  April  is  the  real 
planting  month,  look  there  for  exact  directions  for 
sowing  seeds. 

Planting  the  Fruit  Garden.  Now  you  can  plant  all 
your  fruit,  and  get  it  over.  That  is,  as  soon  as  the 
soil  stops  freezing  every  night,  so  you  can  keep 
it  stirred.  If  your  trees  and  bushes  arrive  before 
you  want  to  put  them  in  the  ground,  don't  unpack 
anything;  leave  the  bundles  or  boxes  in  a  cool, 
moist  place.  They  will  keep  for  several  days  this 
way,  and  you  avoid  the  breaking  of  roots  and  twigs 
attendant  on  much  handling. 

Tree  Fruits.  Dig  the  holes  bigger  than  the  roots 


The  planting-board  is  simplicity  itself  to  make,  and  permits 
you  to  set  trees  in  perfect  alignment 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    161 

seem  to  need  so  they  can  be  spread  out  com- 
fortably. Cut  off  clean,  any  broken  or  ragged  roots. 
The  pruning  of  the  head  is  more  difficult  and  de- 
pends on  the  kind  of  tree  you  want.  If  simply  a 
dwarf  of  standard  shape,  cut  back  the  branches 
to  three  or  four  and  shorten  these  to  several  inches. 
For  trained  trees  to  grow  on  walls  or  a  trellis,  cut 
back  all  but  the  number  of  branches  you  want,  and 
trim  these  to  a  whip  or  single  stem.  These  are  to 
be  tied  to  the  support  in  the  form  you  decide  on  — 
fan-shaped,  U-shaped  or  single,  diagonal  cordon,  etc. 
Sift  the  soil  about  the  fine  roots  and  firm  it  down, 
emphasizing  this  firming  process  till  the  hole  is 
filled,  when  a  layer  of  loose  soil  may  be  left  on  top 
to  prevent  evaporation. 

Grapes.  Prune  the  roots,  as  directed  above,  and 
cut  back  the  top  close  to  the  ground-level  if  this  has 
not  been  done  in  the  nursery. 

Bush  Fruits.  Take  similar  care  of  the  roots  but 
leave  two  or  three  strong  stems  two  feet  long  or  so. 
These  will  be  the  bearers  the  second  year. 

Strawberries.  There  is  no  pruning  save  the 
trimming  of  the  roots  necessary  in  planting  straw- 
berries. More  care  should  be  taken  to  keep  them 
moist,  however,  and  to  avoid  planting  them  so 
deeply  as  to  cover  the  crowns. 

In  planting  all  the  other  fruits  it  is  well  to  set 
them  a  trifle,  perhaps  an  inch,  lower  than  they  were 
in  the  nursery  row. 

As  I  have  said,  do  not  follow  these  directions 
literally,  in  the  face  of  common  sense.  If  it  is  ob- 
viously too  wintry,  even  at  the  end  of  March, 


162  GARDEN  PROFITS 

wait  a  little  longer  before  you  plant,  especially  the 
strawberries. 

APRIL 

The  Value  of  Manure.  It  must  be  remembered 
that  the  garden  cannot  be  planted  in  a  few  minutes; 
gardening  requires  patience,  a  strict  adherence  to 
small  details,  and  also  considerable  foresight. 
Try  to  have  your  garden  a  little  better  than  your 
neighbor's.  Feed  your  ground;  there  is  no  use 
trying  to  grow  crops  on  poor,  impoverished  soil 
on  which  chickweed  could  hardly  exist.  Some 
soils  respond  readily  to  fertilizers,  but  in  most  cases 
well  rotted  farmyard  manure  proves  the  best  tonic. 
Don't  feed  in  spoonful  doses,  but  give  liberal  appli- 
cations. 

One  of  the  chief  values  in  manure  lies  in  its  ca- 
pacity to  catch  and  store  moisture;  lack  of  manure, 
and  therefore  lack  of  moisture,  causes  more  poor 
vegetables  than  anything  else.  Vegetables  are  quick 
growers,  of  a  succulent  nature,  and  are  curiously 
affected  by  a  lack  of  moisture.  With  carrots, 
for  instance,  the  core  gets  very  hard  and  dry  and 
the  outer  part  peels  off.  In  beets  it  will  be  shown 
by  white,  hard  lines;  in  peas  by  small  size;  in  beans 
by  the  pod  being  curved  and  very  stringy.  In 
celery  the  stringiness  is,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten, 
the  result  of  insufficient  manure,  which  will  also 
cause  peppers  to  become  very  strong  and  cabbages 
to  form  stubby  roots. 

Repeated  Advice.  If  you  have  new  ground  to 
break  for  a  garden,  have  it  well  plowed,  using  a 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    163 

subsoil  plow  to  break  the  bottom.  Digging  is 
better  if  you  can  afford  it,  in  which  case  trench  it 
about  three  feet  deep,  throwing  the  top  soil  to  the 
bottom  and  adding  plenty  of  manure. 

After  the  ground  is  dug  the  section  which  is  to 
be  used  for  early  vegetables  (that  is,  the  highest  or 
best  drained  ground)  can  be  raked  over  with  a 
wooden  rake  to  smooth  it  off.  Then  run  a  roller 
over  it  before  sowing  the  seeds. 

The  Principles  of  Seed  Sowing.  The  idea  to  be 
remembered  in  sowing  seeds  is  that  they  should  not 
be  planted  too  deep  nor  too  shallow;  too  thin,  nor 
too  thick.  The  depth  of  the  drill  varies  according 
to  the  vegetable  to  be  planted.  Allow  about  one- 
quarter  of  an  inch  for  lettuce  and  seeds  of  that  size; 
about  one-half  inch  for  parsnips  and  such  seeds; 
about  one  inch  for  beans;  and  about  two  inches  for 
peas,  except  the  first  sowing,  which  should  be  about 
four  inches  deep.  Sow  enough  seed  to  have  a  good 
full  row  and  reduce  the  thinning  out  to  a  minimum; 
but  do  not  throw  the  seeds  in  by  the  handful. 

Drilling.  In  making  drills, 
measure  with  a  line  and  have 
it  straight  and  taut.  For  peas 
use  a  spade,  which  will  give 
a  drill  one  foot  wide.  For 
beans  in  double  rows  use  a 
hoe,  making  the  drill  the  full 
width  of  the  hoe.  For  seeds 
that  require  single  drills  not 

less  than  one-half  inch  deep,        The  simplest,  cheapest 
,         ,  ,         .  /  '      and  probably  commonest 

Use    the      hoe      edgewise;     for      form  of  garden  label 


i64 


GARDEN  PROFITS 


small  seeds,  where  a  really  shallow  drill  is 
required,  use  a  sharpened  stick  or  a  plant  label. 
Always  use  labels  of  some  description  to  tell 
where  each  vegetable  is  planted.  Twelve-inch  garden 
labels  cost  but  a  cent  apiece,  but  if  you  feel  you 
cannot  afford  to  buy  them,  use  strips  of  shingles. 
Always  mark  the  variety  and  date  of  sowing  on 
the  label.  If  you  mark  the  same  thing  on  your 
garden  plan  it  will  certainly  help  you  next  year 
when  planning  your  garden. 

As  soon  as  you  have  decided  on  the  plans  of 
your  garden,  spend  another  evening  or  two  writing 
the  labels.  Include  the  number  of  the  row  accord- 
ing to  the  plan,  and  the  approximate  date  of  sow- 
ing, as  well  as  the  kind  and  variety  of  vegetable. 
If  you  do  this  you  will  bless  yourself  about  April, 
when  otherwise  you  would  be  scurrying  around 
looking  for  bits  of  stick  to  mark  the  rows,  or 
the  pencil  that  had  fall- 
en out  of  your  pocket, 
or  trying  to  make  the 
packet  that  the  seeds 
came  in  stay  in  its  place 
in  spite  of  the  wind  that 
continually  blew  it 
away.  Label  the  berry 
bushes,  the  grape  vines 
and  the  fruit  trees  indi- 
vidually, especially  if  you 

The  sliding  cover  protects  the  have  several  varieties, 
writing  and  makes  the  simple  form  ike  All-Season  Crops. 

of  label  suitable  for  the  perennial  (;+-..<-;„„    f™™    ™~ 

vegetable  beds,  and  the  berry  rows  ^tarting    *™™-    one 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    165 

of  the  garden,  mark  off  one  row  for  parsnips,  one  for 
salisfy,  then  Swiss  chard,  parsley,  celeriac,  scorzonera 
and  chickory,  and  dandelion  if  you  wish.  Sow  more 


In  this  permanent  form 
of  label,  the  plate  of  glass 
covers  and  protects  the 
writing  and  is  held  in 
place  by  the  folded  edges 
of  the  metal  case  a.  b.  c. 
The  nail  d,  permits  the 
glass  and  card  toberemoved 
instantly 

than  one  row  if  you  think  you  will  need  it.  Then 
sow  onions  and  leeks.  All  these  vegetables  should 
be  put  together,  for  only  one  sowing  is  made  and  they 
remain  in  the  ground  the  entire  season.  If  you 
grow  late  potatoes  it  would  be  wise  to  plant  them 
next  to  the  vegetables  just  mentioned,  as  they  are 
all  in  the  same  class. 

If  you  have  room  for  the  first  sowing  of  early 


i66  GARDEN  PROFITS 

vegetables  alongside  the  all-season  crops  they  may 
be  planted  there;  but  if  not,  prepare  another  strip. 
Sow  early  peas,  spinach,  radish,  lettuce,  etc. 

Covering  the  Seeds.  In  filling  the  seed  drills  a 
wooden  rake  is  most  generally  used.  If  you  are 
in  the  habit  of  using  a  rake  to  cover  seeds,  be  careful 
not  to  dig  into  the  ground,  but  gently  pull  the  soil 
back  into  the  drill.  A  better  plan  is  to  do  this  work 
with  the  feet.  Place  the  feet  on  the  drill,  heels 
together,  and  each  foot  at  an  angle  of  45°.  Walk 
along,  first  pushing  one  foot  forward  and  then 
the  other,  being  careful  not  to  raise  the  feet  from 
the  ground.  This  shoves  the  soil  back  into  the 
trench  and  firms  it  at  the  same  time. 

Root  crops  are  sometimes  attacked  by  maggots; 
onions  are  invariably,  and  radishes  are  also  easy 
victims.  The  best  preventive  is  soot,  which  can 
be  procured  from  any  seedsman.  Sow  this  right 
on  top  of  the  drill  where  the  seed  is  planted,  using 
a  five-inch  potful  for  every  fifty  feet  of  drill.  If 
you  used  lime  when  you  dug  up  the  soil  you  are 
less  likely  to  be  troubled  by  these  pests. 

Sowing  for  Succession.  After  you  have  sown 
parsnips,  onions,  etc.,  you  are  through  sowing  this 
class  of  vegetables  for  the  season,  but  peas,  radishes, 
lettuce,  carrots,  etc.,  require  occasional  sowings 
to  keep  up  a  fresh  supply.  They  should  be  sown 
from  time  to  time  as  follows : 

Bush  Beans.  Every  two  weeks  from  April  30  to 
August  15. 

Beets.  Every  three  weeks  from  April  I  to 
August  15. 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    167 

Carrots.  Every  three  weeks  from  April  I  to 
August  15. 

Chervil.  If  used  for  flavoring  or  garnishing  salads, 
etc.,  should  be  sown  every  three  weeks  from  April 
i  to  August  15. 

Corn.     Every  two  weeks  from  May  I  to  July  30. 

Cucumbers.  Every  three  weeks  from  May  I  to 
July  30. 

Lettuce.  Every  two  weeks  from  April  I  to  May 
15;  then  every  week  until  September  i;  then 
every  two  weeks  until  October  i.  The  idea  of 
this  is  to  sow  in  small  batches  during  the  hot 
weather,  as  it  soon  runs  to  seed  at  that  season. 

Onions.  If  you  are  fond  of  green  onions,  you 
can  have  them  by  sowing  every  three  weeks  from 
April  i  to  September  16. 

Peas.  Every  week  from  April  i  to  June  I ;  then 
again,  on  July  15,  being  sown  every  two  weeks 
until  September  i. 

Radish.  Every  week  from  April  I  to  October  I. 

Spinach.  Every  week  from  April  i  to  May  30. 
Then  stop  until  August;  then  sow  every  week  until 
September  i. 

Turnip.  Every  three  weeks  from  April  I  to  May 
15.  Then  again  from  July  30  to  September  i. 

The  following  varieties  of  vegetables  have  been 
recommended  for  April  sowing: 

Asparagus,  Palmetto,  D'Argenteuil;  Beans,  Green  Podded, 
Black  Valentine;  Beet,  Early  Eclipse;  Brussels  sprouts,  Brechin 
Castle;  Cabbage,  Early  Jersey  Wakefield;  Carrot,  Guerande; 
Cauliflower,  Earliest  Dwarf  Erfurt;  Celery,  Chicago;  Celeriac 
Erfurt;  Cher cil,  Curled;  Kohlrabi,  White  Vienna;  Leek,  Ameri- 
can Flag;  Lettuce,  May  King;  Onion:  for  large  onions,  Prize- 


168  GARDEN  PROFITS 

taker  and  Alsa  Craig;  for  best  keepers,  Red  Wethersfield, 
Yellow  Globe  Danvers  and  Southport  White  Globe;  Parsley, 
Moss  Curled;  Parsnip,  American  Hollow  Crown;  Peas,  Alaska, 
earliest  of  all  peas,  but  very  poor  quality;  New  York  Market 
is  a  good  early  pea,  but  sow  Gradus  at  the  same  time.  Make 
three  sowings  in  the  month,  using  one  or  two  rows  of  New  York, 
Marshall  or  Nott's  Excelsior,  and  the  balance  all  Gradus,  a 
pea  you  will  never  tire  of.  Potatoes,  For  early  use,  Bovee, 
very  free  bearer,  or  Noroton  Beauty;  for  main  crop  use  Carman. 
No.  3,  Green  Mountain,  or  Uncle  Sam.  Radish,  Ne  Plus 
Ultra  or  French  Breakfast.  Salsify,  Mammoth  Sandwich 
Island.  Spinach,  Viroflay  and  Victoria,  and,  towards  the  end 
of  the  month,  sow  a  row  of  New  Zealand  for  summer  use. 

If  you  have  absolutely  no  room  for  coldframes 
or  hotbeds  and  have  no  early-sown  cabbage  plants, 
you  can  make  a  sowing  of  this  vegetable  about 
April  i,  and  at  the  same  time  one  of  cauliflower  and 
Brussels  sprout  seeds. 

Celery  can  now  be  sown  outdoors  for  the  late  or 
main  crop  and  will  follow  up  the  early  lot  which 
was  started  in  February. 

Get  your  potatoes  in  now.  You  do  not  gain  any- 
thing by  putting  off  such  jobs.  As  suggested  last 
month,  cut  your  seed  to  one  eye  and  plant  about 
twelve  to  fourteen  inches  apart  in  the  row. 

Corn.  If  I  were  you,  I'd  try  a  few  hills  of  some 
early  corn,  say  Golden  Bantam.  Maybe  there  will 
be  no  more  frost,  and  you  can  be  having  sweet  corn 
while  your  neighbor  is  dreaming  about  it.  Now 
is  the  time  to  prepare  melon  hills.  Use  a  liberal 
amount  of  manure,  and  if  you  can  procure  some 
fresh  sod,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  mix  it  with  the  manure, 
using  two-thirds  sod  and  one-third  manure.  Dig 
holes  two  feet  deep  and  three  feet  across  and  fill 
them  with  the  compost,  raising  the  hills  a  few  inches 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    169 

higher  than  the  ground  level.  Then  place  the 
frames  to  give  the  ground  a  good  chance  to  get 
thoroughly  warmed.  If  you  haven't  any  frames, 
do  not  try  to  grow  melons  in  Long  Island,  or  places 
of  similar  latitude,  because  melons,  without  the  help 
of  sash  frames,  do  not  ripen  until  the  middle  of 
September.  As  the  nights  then  get  very  cool  the 
melons  lose  their  flavor,  crack  considerably  and  are 
at  the  mercy  of  the  melon  blight.  Build  a  few 
frames;  they  will  not  cost  very  much.  All  you 
require  is  a  one-foot-square  box  nine  inches  high  in 
front  and  twelve  inches  in  back,  and  a  four-glass  sash 
to  cover  it.  Old  fruit  baskets  with  the  bottoms 
carefully  removed  and  a  plate  of  glass  substituted 
will  do  at  a  pinch.  Get  the  hills  prepared  early  in 
the  month  and  the  frames  placed,  and  sow  the  seed 
any  time  after  the  twenty-fifth. 

You  can  also  prepare  Lima  bean  hills  now,  but  I 
would  not  advise  sowing  until  after  May  I.  Dig 
good  deep  hills  for  the  Limas  and  add  plenty  of 
manure  to  the  soil.  Mark  off  the  row  and  place 
poles  by  making  good  deep  holes  with  a  crowbar, 
then  dig  around  the  pole  and  fill  in  with  the  soil 
that  has  been  removed,  to  which  about  one-third 
manure  has  been  added.  I  use  a  wheelbarrowful 
to  every  three  hills. 

Before  setting  plants  of  cabbage,  cauliflower, 
Brussels  sprouts,  leek,  lettuce,  etc.,  out  in  the  open 
ground,  harden  them  off  slightly.  Start  by  having 
a  little  air  on  the  frame  at  night  and  keep  gradually 
increasing  the  amount  until  by  the  end  of  the  month 
the  sash  can  be  left  off  altogether. 


170  GARDEN  PROFITS 

Eggplant,  peppers  and  tomatoes  are  best  left 
in  the  frames  until  the  end  of  May  and  should 
not  be  subjected  to  the  hardening-off  process.  So 
partition  off  your  warm  plants  in  some  way. 


When  sowing  seeds  by  hand,  the  row- 
marker  is  a  great  help  in  making  the 
garden  convenient,  orderly  and  attrac- 
tive. Get  the  first  row  straight  with  a 
garden  line 

Make  drills  about  three  or  four  inches  deep  for 
cabbage,  cauliflower,  Brussels  sprouts  and  leeks 
with  the  edge  of  a  hoe.  The  drill  protects  the  newly 
set  plants  from  the  wind  and  sun,  and  catches  water; 
the  soil  can  easily  be  levelled  off  after  the  plants 
have  attained  any  size.  It  is  not  practical  to  do 
this  with  lettuce  or  onions.  When  planting  out 
vegetables  always  place  your  line  and  make  a  drill 
as  a  guide  to  getting  straight  rows,  but  for  lettuce 
and  onions  and  such  vegetables,  make  it  very  shal- 
low, one  inch  being  deep  enough. 

THE  BUSY  GROWING  SEASON:  MAY  TO  OCTOBER 

MAY 

You  will  be  planting,  throughout  this  month  and 
the  next,  but  the  care  of  the  growing  crops  will 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    171 

commence,  also,  and  I  want  to  emphasize  its  im- 
portance right  away. 

Don't  wait  for  weeds  to  appear  before  you  begin 
to  cultivate.  See  if  you  cannot  prevent  the  appear- 
ance of  even  one.  I  assure  you  the  task  will  become 
easier  and  easier  as  the  weeks  go  on.  Whenever 
you  thin  out  a  row  clean  out  the  weeds  —  if  there 
are  any.  But  better  than  this  scratch  the  soil 
very  lightly  every  few  days  —  whether  there  is  any- 
thing sowed,  or  growing,  or  not.  The  majority  of 
weeds  in  a  garden  are  from  home-grown  seeds,  so 
if  you  exterminate  the  first  crop  before  it  ripens,  you 
will  have  seriously  inconvenienced  any  future  weed 
growth.  And  don't  forget  that  frequent  cultivation 
is  the  next  best  thing  to  rainfall  for  keeping  plants 
supplied  with  moisture;  the  latter  cannot  evapo- 
rate from  the  firm  soil  beneath ;  the  plant-roots  get  it. 
Before  you  begin  to  cultivate  sit  down  and  learn 
one  rule  by  heart. 
Don't  cultivate,  hoe,  or 
pick  beans  when  they  are 
wet.  Anthracnose,  the 
cancerof  beandiseases, 
will  certainly  become  Good  for  hand-weeding  and  loosen- 
.j  .  .f  ,  ing  the  soil,  among  perennials . 

an  epidemic  if  you  do. 

It  may  seem  as  though  I  had  lost  sight  of  the 
fact  that  this  is  the  garden  of  a  business  man  who 
cannot  give  all  day  to  his  vegetables.  But  I  have 
not.  It  is  remarkable  how  much  you  can  do  in  an 
hour,  in  a  garden  built  on  the  modern,  long-row  plan, 
and  with  the  up-to-date  implements.  Suppose  you 
can  walk  fifty  feet  in,  say,  ten  seconds.  Then  surely 


172  GARDEN  PROFITS 

you  can  push  a  wheel  hoe  that  far  in  a  minute 
and  with  five  seconds  for  turning  at  the  ends,  you 
could  cultivate  nearly  sixty  rows  in  an  hour!  By 
doing  a  little  each  day  you  can  cover  the  whole 


The  scuffle-hoe  or  scarifier  Is  excellent 
for  working  close  to  rows  and  under  bushy 
plants.  It  supplements  the  wheel-hoe 

garden  twice  a  week  and  still  leave  time  for  trans- 
planting, watering  (which  you  can  leave  to  the 
sprinkler)  and  the  other  tasks.  Just  keep  busy 
while  you  are  at  it,  and  you  will  be  surprised  at  the 
results. 

The  Main  Corn  Crop.  Keep  right  on  sowing  seeds 
this  month.  One  of  the  main  crops  for  May  sowing 
is  sweet  corn.  No  vegetable  is  more  affected  by 
poor  ground.  You  have  noticed  poor,  scrawny- 
looking  ears  not  filled  to  the  ends,  and  again  others 
that  were  all  right  in  appearance,  but  lacking  in 
quality.  The  cause  in  each  case  is  lack  of  proper 
nourishment  for  the  plant,  and  by  that  I  mean 
manure.  Most  folks  use  fertilizers  instead,  which 
is  all  wrong  for  sweet  corn.  With  field  corn  you 
use  the  dried  ear  and  you  don't  care  whether  it  is 
milky  or  not,  but  the  case  is  reversed  with  sweet 
corn.  It  must  grow  quickly  and  manure  is  necessary 
especially  during  dry  summers.  Give  the  ground  a 
coating  about  4  to  6  inches  thick  and  plough  or 
dig  it  under,  not  necessarily  deep,  as  corn  is  a  rather 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    173 

shallow  rooter.  I  prefer  to  plant  corn  in  rows 
because  all  kinds  do  not  grow  the  same  size,  and  so  do 
not  require  the  same  spacing.  This  is  easily  regulat- 
ed by  thinning  when  the  corn  is  planted  in  rows. 

Plant  Golden  Bantam  for  a  first  crop;  it  is  not  only 
a  very  early  corn,  but  one  of  the  best  flavored.  And 
don't  forget  Stowell's  Evergreen  and  Country 
Gentleman,  which  are  the  best  of  the  late  corns. 

Melons  and  Lima  Beans.  If  melons  have  not 
been  sown  as  suggested  last  month,  see  to  it  at  once 
and  always  put  plenty  of  seed  in  each  hill,  as  it  is 
very  poor  economy  to  be  saving  of  seed.  Put  at 
least  12  seeds  in  each  hill,  as  the  plants  are  easily 
thinned  out  at  the  proper  time,  when  only  3  plants 
should  be  left  in  hills  if  8  feet  apart;  but  if  they  are 
10  or  12  feet  apart,  4  plants  may  be  left. 

Sow  Lima  beans  if  the  weather  seems  settled  and 
there  is  a  little  warmth  in  the  ground;  you  don't 
gain  anything  by  planting  Limas  before.  A  few 
cool  nights  after  the  plants  are  above  ground  will 
cause  them  to  turn  yellow  and  the  result  is  a  season 
of  very  slow,  stunted  growth*  May  10  is  quite 
early  enough  for  New  York  and  similar  localities. 

If  rain  occurs  within  48  hours  of  the  time  of  sow- 
ing, the  seed  will  rot  and  the  work  must  be  done 
over.  In  heavy  soils,  96  hours  is  not  too  long  a 
limit  to  place.  Examine  your  seeds  after  a  rain- 
fall and  see  if  they  are  rotting  or  not.  Making  a 
circle  around  the  pole  about  two  inches  deep, 
filling  this  with  sand,  and  sowing  the  seeds  in  the 
sand  may  save  you  from  sowing  the  seeds  a  second 
time,  as  the  sand  dries  very  quickly  after  a  rain. 


I74  GARDEN  PROFITS 

Bush  Limas  are  best  sown  in  rows,  but  as  the  seed 
is  smaller  and  considerably  harder  than  that  of 
the  pole  kinds  it  is  not  often  necessary  to  plant 
them  in  sand.  If  you  were  troubled  with  poor 
germination,  however,  try  it. 

Pumpkins,  Squash,  etc.  About  May  I  you  can 
prepare  hills  for  cucumbers,  squash,  pumpkins  and 
watermelons.  Make  them  moderately  rich.  Dig 
holes  about  3  feet  wide  and  about  2  feet  deep  and 
add  about  one-half  wheelbarrow  load  of  manure  to 
each  hill,  and  in  measuring  the  manure  don't  take 
the  wheelbarrow  that  your  boy  plays  with  around  the 
garden.  I  mean  a  regular  sized  garden  barrow. 

All  these  vegetables  are  heat-lovers  and  will 
surely  feel  the  effects  of  a  late  nor'wester,  so  about 
the  tenth  of  the  month  will  be  time  enough  for 
sowing.  Watermelons  can  be  sown  earlier  if  you 
have  frames  for  them.  Allow  10  feet  between  the 
hills  if  you  can.  If  you  are  short  of  space,  sow 
pumpkins,  squash  and  watermelons  in  the  early 
corn  patch,  and  when  the  corn  crop  is  finished 
the  stalks  can  be  cut- down  to  give  the  other  vege- 
tables a  chance. 

New  Zealand  Spinach  is  a  continuous  grower  from 
the  sprouting  of  the  seed  until  cut  down  by  frost, 
and  is  a  welcome  summer  green.  Some  folks  dis- 
like this  vegetable  simply  because  they  never  give 
it  a  fair  opportunity.  It  is  of  succulent  nature  and 
demands  plenty  of  manure.  It  must  thrive  to  be 
sweet  and  tender;  remember  to  cut  it  often,  even  if 
you  cannot  use  it  all  yourself. 

Sow  okra  any  time  after  the  roth  of  the  month  in 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    175 

single  rows;  thinning  the  plants  to  about  12  inches 
apart. 

Succession  Sowing.  Sowing  for  succession  must 
never  be  lost  sight  of,  because  if  a  sowing  is 
neglected,  the  chain  is  broken  and  the  continuity 
of  crops  is  lost.  This  becomes  more  important  as 
the  season  advances,  as  the  time  of  maturity  of  the 
crops  is  also  lessening.  To  illustrate:  peas  sown 
April  i  and  15  will  have  an  interval  between 
maturity  twice  as  long  as  the  time  elapsing  between 
two  sowings  made  on  the  ist  and  I5th  of  May.  At 
the  end  of  the  year  the  process  works  in  the  opposite 
way. 

Make  four  sowings  of  peas  in  May  about  one  week 
apart.  The  three  best  varieties  for  May  sowing 
are  Gradus,  perhaps  the  best  of  all  peas  when  you 
consider  quality;  Telephone,  also  a  good  pea,  and 
an  excellent  cropper;  Champion  of  England.  I 
plant  these  two  last  alternately  with  Gradus;  they 
give  heavier  crops. 

Sow  spinach  and  radish  every  week  during  May, 
for  at  this  season  spinach  runs  quickly  to  seed  and 
radishes  get  very  strong.  Both  these  vegetables 
can  be  used  as  "fillers"  in  any  other  rows.  Rad- 
ishes can  be  sown  in  melon  hills  or  with  carrot  and 
parsnip  seed.  They  will  mature  and  be  removed 
just  about  when  you  thin  the  main  crops. 

Spinach  does  well  between  the  squash  and  melon 
hills  before  the  vines  spread.  If  the  former  is 
well  watered,  it  will  not  run  to  seed  so  quickly. 
Make  two  sowings  of  carrots  and  beets  during  the 
month,  and  also  sow  turnips  twice. 


176  GARDEN  PROFITS 

Lettuce  must  be  sown  often  during  May,  as  the 
crop  will  mature  during  the  warm  weather  and  no 
matter  how  much  care  we  use  a  certain  percentage 
is  sure  to  run  to  seed;  this  can  only  be  reduced  to 
a  minimum  by  frequent  sowings,  say  about  one 
week  apart. 

I  sow  string  beans  about  every  three  weeks  for 
succession.  I  usually  sow  in  single  rows,  but  I 
don't  see  any  great  objection  to  the  double  row  — 
neither  can  I  see  any  advantage. 

Plant  corn  about  every  two  weeks.  A  good 
plan  is  to  sow  your  early  variety  first,  say  about 
May  7,  then  on  the  I4th  sow  one  row  of  early, 
and  one  row  of  a  late  variety;  about  the  28th  sow 
two  rows  of  late.  This  method  will  certainly  in- 
sure one  crop  following  the  other  very  closely. 

A  Rule  for  Succession  Crops.  A  very  simple  yet 
convenient  method  for  keeping  succession  crops 
moving  in  the  proper  rotation  is  to  make  a  sowing 
when  the  previous  one  is  just  above  ground. 

Setting  Out  the  Tender  Plants.  If  you  have  not 
already  done  as  advised  last  month  in  planting  out 
from  the  coldframe  some  of  the  more  hardy  of  the 
vegetable  plants,  such  as  cabbage,  cauliflower  and 
Brussels  sprouts,  do  it  as  soon  as  possible.  If  any 
grow  too  large  in  the  frame  or  get  root-bound  they 
will  be  greatly  damaged.  After  the  2Oth,  it  will  be 
safe  to  set  out  tomatoes.  You  can  save  more  or 
less  breakage  by  staking  the  plants  right  away. 
Peppers  and  eggplant  will  not  stand  cold  nights, 
but  can  come  out  pretty  soon  now. 

Fall  Crops.     The  latter  part  of  May  is  the  time  to 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    177 


Individual  cabbage,  tomato,  and  egg- 
plants may  be  protected  from  cut- 
worms, by  means  of  paper  collars,  put 
on  when  they  are  transplanted 

sow  late  cabbage,  cauliflower,  kale  and  winter 
celery.  You  can  save  time  and  space  by  sowing  in 
beds  now  and  transplanting  as  soon  as  you  clear 
a  row  of  beets,  turnips,  peas,  or  some  early  planted 
vegetable.  Of  course,  if  you  have  the  space,  you 
can  save  the  extra  work  of  transplanting  by  starting 
the  plants  in  their  permanent  positions.  However, 
you  can  set  a  good  many  plants  in  a  June  evening 
and  next  fall  you  will  be  glad  of  all  the  cabbages 
and  cauliflowers  you  can  get. 


i78  GARDEN  PROFITS 

The  Asparagus  Bed.  Give  two  applications  of 
salt  during  May  (I  use  500  Ibs.  on  a  plot  60  x  180 
ft.);  this  will  keep  down  the  growth  of  weeds  and 
the  asparagus  is  benefited.  Apply  this  just  before, 
or  during  a  rain,  run  the  cultivator  over  the  bed  two 
or  three  times  during  the  month,  and  exercise  a  little 
caution  in  cutting,  and  your  bed  will  keep  a-going. 
In  cutting,  don't  jab  a  knife  through  the  crown,  as 
that  splits  it  into  small  pieces  and  causes  the  shoots 
to  become  smaller. 


One  of  the  best  forms  of  asparagus  knife 
has  a  V-shaped  edge.  Insert  it  close  to  the 
stalk  you  want,  and  don't  stab  the  crowu 

Rhubarb.  If  rhubarb  is  thin  or  stringy  it  needs 
attention.  Seed  pods  persistently  appearing  is 
also  an  equal  assurance  that  next  fall  the  plants 
should  be  divided  and  reset.  Cut  off  the  seed  pods 
as  soon  as  they  appear;  but  don't  cut  the  shoots, 
or  rather  leaves  —  pull  them  off  with  a  downward 
jerk. 

To  Hill  or  Not  to  Hill?  There  are  several  reasons 
for  hilling  vegetables.  In  some  cases  it  keeps 
plants  from  blowing  over;  it  also  tends  to  get  the 
roots  deeper,  where  they  are  not  so  liable  to  be  af- 
fected by  dry  weather;  with  other  vegetables  it  is 
done  to  blanch  the  stalks,  the  better  to  fit  them  for 
table  use.  But  don't  hill  too  deeply.  Judgment 
is  necessary,  as  no  hard  rule  can  be  fixed,  the  depth 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    179 

varying  with  the  season,  and  the  kind  of  vegetable. 
Beans,  peas,  and  corn  are  usually  hilled  about  the 
same  height,  four  inches;  this  should  be  done  early 
as  it  prevents  them  from  blowing  over.  Leek  and 
celery  should  be  hilled  as  they  grow.  I  usually 
hill  okra,  as  it  is  brittle  and  breaks  very  easily. 
Potatoes  should  not  be  hilled  too  early;  the  proper 
time  is  when  the  flowers  appear.  I  advise  hilling 
cauliflower  and  cabbage  up  to  the  bottom  leaves, 
if  they  were  not  planted  in  drills  as  suggested  last 
month.  This  is  not  because  there  is  any  danger  of 
their  blowing  over,  but  to  keep  the  roots  farther 
from  the  heat  and  drought. 

Thinning  Out.  The  thinning  out  of  crops  such 
as  beets,  carrots,  etc.,  must  be  done  when  the 
plants  are  very  small.  Go  over  a  row,  and  pull 
out  the  plants  between  the  two  points  which  are 
to  be  covered.  If  you  happen  to  leave  two  or  three 
in  a  clump  it  will  not  matter  very  much  as  they  can 
be  thinned  again  later  on  in  the  season. 

Approved  distances  for  thinning  the  plants  are 
as  follows: 

Beans,  6  inches  apart  Lettuce,  9  inches  apart 

Beets,  3   inches  apart  Okra,  8  inches  apart 

Corn,  3  inches  apart,  by  hill  Parsnips,  5  inches  apart 

8  inches  in  row  Onions  3   inches  apart 

Carrot,  3   inches  apart  Salsify,  3  inches  apart 

Kohlrabi,  4  inches  apart  Turnip,  6  inches  apart 

Leek,  6  inches  apart 

Some  of  the  early  sown  peas  must  now  be  brushed, 
but  never  do  this  until  after  they  have  been  hilled; 
and  in  placing  the  brush  be  sure  always  to  slant  it. 


i8o 


GARDEN  PROFITS 


This  gives  the  vines  a  better  chance  to  get  a  good 
hold  as  they  can  climb  on  several  sticks  in  place  of 
one. 

Fruit  Notes.  None  of  your  fruit  bushes  should 
be  allowed  to  bear  the  first  year  even  if  they  seem 
willing.  Pinch  off  the  blossoms  before  the  fruit  sets 
and  you  will  send  the  energy  into  the  roots  and 
body  of  the  plant.  As  they  are  expected  to  last 
for  a  number  of  years,  this  is  only  giving  the  bushes 
a  fair  start,  but  they  will  certainly  show  their 
gratitude  later. 

Supposing  that  you  are  limited  for  space,  I  would 
advise  cutting  off  the  strawberry  runners  to  keep 
the  plants  within  bounds.  In  a 
few  years  when  the  plants  get 
older,  you  can  pot  these  runners 
and  get  strong,  new  plants,  for 
nothing.  This  is  done  by  sinking 
a  two  or  three-inch  pot  in  the 
ground  near  a  thrifty  plant,  and 
burying  one  of  the  nodes  or  joints 
of  a  runner  in  the  soil  contained 
in  the  pot.  This  joint  will  soon 
throw  out  roots  and  new  leaves 
and  become  an  individual  plant. 
It  may  then  be  cut  away  from  the 
parent  plant,  and  be  transplanted 
to  larger  pots  as  its  growth  calls 
for  it.  After  a  winter  in  the  cold- 
frame  or  greenhouse,  it  may  beset 
in  the  berry  patch  to  bear  the  following  spring. 
The  first  season  pinch  off  blossoms.  This  is  the  way 


runner-cutter 
duces  a  matted  row 
of  berries  to  a  series 
of  uniform,  conven- 
ient sized  plants. 
Keep  the  bottom 
edge  sharp 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    181 

to  increase  your  plants,  too,  if  you  find  that  you 
have  more  space  than  you  expected.  I  work  my 
strawberries  thus: 

I  set  out  a  bed  every  year,  and  leave  it  for  two 
years  —  the  first  year  as  individual  plants  from 
which  I  get  quality,  the  second  in  solid  rows,  where 
I  get  quantity.  In  this  way  I  always  have  two 
bearing  beds.  I  would  not  advise  anyone  to  prop- 
agate his  own  plants  continuously,  however,  unless 
he  has  thoroughly  up-to-date  varieties,  and  even 
then  it  is  advisable  to  change  the  stock  occasionally, 
as  strawberry  plants  can  be  bought  too  cheaply 
to  take  any  chances  with  poor  varieties  or  worn- 
out  stock.  Do  not  forget  to  mix  the  pistillate 
and  staminate  flowering  types. 

THE  GROWING  SEASON  FOR  FRUITS 

Don't  Forget  to  Cultivate.  The  fruits  need  culti- 
vation all  the  time  until,  perhaps,  August.  You 
must  remember  that  the  first  year  is  a  hard  time 
for  them,  for  they  are  trying  to  establish  them- 
selves under  new  conditions  and  every  bit  of  help 
you  can  give,  counts. 

You  will  not  have  to  prune  during  the  summer 
except,  (i)  to  rub  off  undesirable  shoots  on  the 
dwarf  trees,  (2)  to  cut  off  excessive  strawberry 
runners  and  (3)  remove  the  blossoms  this  year. 

You  may  decide  to  spray  the  brambles  and  cur- 
rants as  a  preventive  against  the  various  rusts 
and  leaf  diseases.  Bordeaux  mixture  should  be 
used  according  to  the  formulae  given  in  Chapter  VII. 
For  caterpillars  that  eat  the  leaves  use  hellebore 


1 82  GARDEN  PROFITS 

rather    than  arsenate  of    lead  —  at  any  rate  after 
the  fruit  has  set.     And  for  the  little  green  aphids, 


Build  a  simple  support  like  this  for  your 
brambles,  keep  the  shoots  inside  the  wires, 
and  you  will  save  time,  space  and  many 
scratches  when  pruning  and  cultivating 

use  kerosene  emulsion  or  the  simpler  whale-oil 
soap  solution.  These  directions  hold  all  the 
season,  except  that  when  the  fruits  are  ripening, 
use  ammoniacal  copper  carbonate  instead  of  Bor- 
deaux mixture,  if  the  leaf  spot  diseases  seem  to 
persist. 

JUNE 

By  this  time  you  will  be  enjoying  some  of  the 
fruits  of  your  labors,  and  realizing  what  fresh 
vegetables,  real  ones,  are.  If  the  extraordinary 
condition  exists,  that  no  one  in  the  house  but 
yourself  is  interested  in  the  garden,  you  can  gather 
enough  for  the  day's  meals  before  breakfast,  wash 
it  and  leave  it,  crisp  and  cool,  on  ice,  or  wrapped  in 
damp  cloths  or  paper  in  the  shade.  Otherwise, 
the  vegetables  should  be  picked  only  when  they 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    183 

are  needed,  for  the  garden  itself  is  the  best  of  all 
ice-chests  and  storehouses  for  "green-goods." 

A  Washing  Tank  for  Vegetables.  If  you  have 
no  place  where  the  vegetables  can  be  washed  be- 
fore taking  them  into  the  house  and  if  you  do  not 
feel  inclined  to  build  a  proper  washing  tank,  use 
a  barrel  sawed  in  two,  or  an  old  butter  tub.  But 
a  tank  would  not  cost  very  much;  it  could  be  made 
as  follows: 

Dig  a  hole  about  eighteen  inches  deep,  three  feet 
long  and  two  feet  wide.  Build  inside  of  this  a 
tank  of  bricks,  putting  a  partition  in  one  end,  the 
partition  wall  being  about  two  inches  lower  than 
the  side  walls.  Place  a  pipe  in  the  bottom  of  each 
basin  leading  to  a  barrel  or  other  drainage  out- 
let, then  plaster  the  bottom  and  side  walls  with 
cement.  Place  a  cork  in  the  pipe,  in  the  large 
washing  compartment,  which  is  only  used  to  draw 
off  the  water  in  winter.  All  the  sand  is  held  in 
the  first  compartment  by  the  partition.  Gather 
the  vegetables  right  into  the  tank;  if  you  have 
a  half  barrel  alongside  to  hold  refuse  it  will  help. 

When  to  Gather  Vegetables.  Most  people  let 
their  vegetables  get  too  old!  There  is  a  proper 
time  to  gather  vegetables  and  there  is  also  an  im- 
proper time;  there  is  a  proper  way  to  gather  them 
and  there  is  also  an  improper  way.  If  we  gather 
vegetables  too  soon  we  injure  the  crop  in  most 
cases;  if  we  leave  them  too  long,  they  deteriorate 
in  quality.  Sometimes  a  single  day,  one  way  or 
the  other,  makes  all  the  difference. 


i84  GARDEN  PROFITS 

Picking  Peas.  Do  not  gather  peas  until  the 
pod  is  nicely  filled,  but  not  hard;  and  under  no 
circumstances  delay  picking  until  it  develops  a 
yellowish  tinge,  the  sign  of  age.  Never  pull  your 
peas,  but  pluck  them.  Take  the  pod  in  the  hand 
and  break  the  pod  from  the  vine  with  the  thumb 
and  first  finger.  Some  pull  them  with  an  upward 
jerk,  but  this  is  likely  to  tear  the  vine  loose  from 
the  support  and  often  breaks  or  loosens  it  at  the 
root,  spoiling  the  remainder  of  the  crop  on  that 
particular  stem. 

Spinach  should  be  cut  close  to  the  ground.  If 
you  pull  it  up  by  the  roots  you  gather  also  a  lot 
of  dirt,  which,  when  thoroughly  shaken  in  among 
the  leaves,  is  hard  to  wash  out.  Cutting  also  in- 
duces a  second  growth. 

Radishes  are  best  when  about  the  size  of  marbles; 
permitted  to  grow  large,  they  become  hollow  and 
often  have  a  very  strong  flavor. 

Cabbage  can  be  used  as  soon  as  it  is  well  headed. 
Always  select  the  hardest  heads  for  cutting;  this 
will  save  you  from  losing  a  quantity  later  on  by 
their  splitting. 

Watch  cauliflower  carefully  when  it  starts  to 
head;  if  left  too  long  it  gets  rough.  To  get  pure 
white,  tender  heads,  gather  the  leaves  up  and  tie 
around  them  with  string  or  raffia,  as  soon  as  a 
bud  begins  to  thicken  in  the  centre.  Be  sure 
the  heads  are  dry  at  this  time,  or  they  will  cer- 
tainly rot.  No  particular  size  can  be  specified  as 
the  proper  one  for  cutting,  as  it  will  vary  ac- 
cording to  season,  soil  and  cultivation; ,  but  I 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    185 

never  allow  the  heads  to  get  any  larger  than  six 
inches  across. 

Pick  beans  when  about  two  inches  long.  Don't 
wait  for  the  pods  to  develop  strings  or  large  seeds 
inside.  All  the  preparation  necessary  for  cook- 
ing is  to  pinch  off  the  ends,  and  the  beans  should 
be  in  such  a  condition  that  this  can  be  easily  done 
with  the  thumb  and  first  finger. 

Beets  develop  white  lines  or  rings  and  lose  their 
flavor  when  cooked,  if  they  are  allowed  to  get 
tough  and  woody.  They  should  be  used  when 
about  one  inch  in  diameter.  Be  careful  not  to 
break  the  small  root  when  gathering,  as  that  will 
cause  bleeding. 

Carrots  should  also  be  used  when  small;  they 
are  usually  ready  for  use  when  about  one-half  inch 
in  diameter  at  the  top.  If  larger  than  that,  they 
will  have  developed  a  core  and  have  lost  the  deep 
yellow  color. 

Swiss  chard  should  be  cut.  Take  the  head  in 
one  hand  and  cut  it  off  clean,  but  be  careful  not 
to  cut  low  enough  to  injure  the  crown. 

Start  gathering  onions  now  from  the  sets.  Select 
the  largest,  so  as  to  keep  them  from  running  to 
seed. 

Kohlrabi  and  turnip  should  now  be  ready  for 
use.  They  get  strong  in  flavor  with  age. 

When  selecting  lettuce  for  cutting,  look  over 
the  bed  carefully  and  select  the  hardest  and  largest 
heads,  as  they  are  the  best  eating  and  will  also 
be  the  first  to  run  to  seed. 

Toward   the   end   of  the   month   look  over   the 


1 86  GARDEN  PROFITS 

early  potatoes,  for  some  may  be  ready  for  digging. 
Don't  dig  them  when  very  small;  they  should  be 
the  size  of  hens'  eggs  at  least. 

Be  careful  when  cutting  the  asparagus.  You 
cannot  do  this  the  first  year  unless  you  have  very 
strong,  old  roots.  In  any  case  it  is  far  better  to 
begin  gradually,  the  second  year.  Commence  to 
ease  up  on  the  bed  a  little  by  letting  an  occasional 
shoot  grow  instead  of  cutting  it  off.  Discontinue 
cutting  entirely  after  the  middle  of  June.  I  usually 
stop  when  peas  come  into  bearing.  By  cutting 
later  than  this,  you  surely  shorten  the  life  of  the 
bed. 

Special  Care  for  Melons.  Pay  strict  attention  to 
ventilating  the  melons,  and  just  as  soon  as  the  vines 
fill  the  box  they  are  in,  they  must  be  gradually 
hardened  off,  so  that  the  boxes  can  be  removed. 
Begin  by  leaving  about  one-half  inch  of  air  space 
on  the  frame  all  night,  and  keep  increasing  this 
amount  for  about  a  week,  when  the  sash  can  be 
entirely  removed,  also  the  boxes.  Spread  the  plants 
out  evenly,  being  careful  not  to  crack  any  of  the 
stems;  pin  each  vine  in  place  with  a  twig  bent 
V  shape,  but  don't  jam  these  down  hard  on  the 
vines.  Simply  stick  them  into  the  ground  far 
enough  to  hold  the  vines  in  position.  Dig  over 
the  space  between  the  hills,  adding  some  lime 
if  the  ground  is  sour.  Look  over  the  vines  every 
week  and  keep  them  placed  so  that  they  will  cover 
the  bed  evenly  and  not  grow  in  one  big  bunch. 
The  vines  can  be  trained  among  the  hills  of  late 
potatoes  and  corn,  if  you  are  prepared  to  gather  the 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    187 

latter  carefully,  and  in  time  to  give  the  ripening 
melons  plenty  of  sunlight. 

Sowing  and  Planting.  If  you  haven't  sown 
Lima  beans,  do  so  at  once,  for  it  is  not  yet  too  late 
to  get  a  good  crop.  In  fact,  they  can  be  sown  as 
late  as  the  middle  of  June,  but,  of  course,  it  is 
better  to  do  it  earlier. 

If  you  have  sown  seeds  of  late  cabbage,  cauli- 
flower, etc.,  in  beds,  they  must  now  be  trans- 
planted either  to  the  row  in  the  garden  where 
they  are  to  remain  or  to  a  prepared  bed  from  which 
they  can  later  be  transplanted  into  the  garden. 
The  only  advantage  in  this  latter  method  is  that 
you  are  sometimes  short  of  space,  and  planting 
in  a  bed  and  then  transplanting  gives  an  oppor- 
tunity to  get  rid  of  an  early  crop. 

Eggplants  and  peppers  can  now  safely  be  set 
out.  If  any  cold  nights  follow,  place  an  inverted 
flower  pot  over  each  plant  till  morning. 

Make  two  sowings  of  beans  this  month,  also  of 
beets,  carrots,  corn  and  cucumber.  Sow  lettuce 
and  radishes  every  week.  Discontinue  sowing  peas 
and  spinach,  as  they  will  not  grow  during  mid- 
summer. 

Supporting  the  Tomato  Fines.  A  portable  tomato 
trellis  will  last  for  years,  and  is  a  great  asset  to 
the  garden.  Build  it  of  shingle  lath  four  feet  wide 
at  the  bottom  and  three  and  a  half  feet  high.  Train 
the  plants  to  either  side.  If  you  planted  the  to- 
matoes three  feet  apart,  make  the  trellis  three  feet 
at  the  bottom  and  four  feet  high. 

Looking  Out  for  Insects.     No  good  garden  can  be 


1 88  GARDEN  PROFITS 

run  without  the  use  of  a  good  spray  pump.  Watch 
for  blight,  insects  and  pests  of  all  kinds  and  spray 
all  the  vegetables  that  are  subject  to  blight  with 
Bordeaux  mixture  twice  during  June.  If  the 
weather  is  either  very  dry  or  excessively  wet,  spray 
every  week.  Do  not  wait  for  the  blight  to  show 
itself,  as  in  most  cases  it  is  then  too  late.  For 
eating  insects  of  all  kinds,  poison  must  be  used. 
I  always  mix  the  poison  with  the  Bordeaux,  which 
helps  it  to  stick  to  the  plant.  Be  careful  when 


In  this  convenient  type  of  portable  spraying  outfit,  the  tank,  which 
hangs  over  the  hip,  holds  about  twelve  quarts.  Occasional  strokes  of 
the  pump-plunger  maintain  a  steady,  fine  spray  for  several  minutes 
at  a  time 

using  this;  do  not  spray  it  on  well-advanced  vege- 
tables, such  as  cabbage  which  has  headed.  If 
cabbage  worms  are  troublesome  after  the  heads 
have  attained  any  size,  I  usually  pick  them  off  by 
hand.  For  aphis,  use  any  of  the  tobacco  prepara- 
tions as  a  spray;  but  above  all,  keep  the  Bordeaux 
going,  as  it  is  the  greatest  of  all  garden  savers. 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    189 

If  you  applied  soot  to  the  asparagus  bed  in  March 
or  April,  you  will  probably  not  be  troubled  with 
the  asparagus  beetle;  but  if  you  did  not  do  it  and 
the  beetle  is  present,  put  a  few  chickens  into  the 
asparagus  bed  and  leave  them  there  for  a  few  days. 
For  cabbage  worms  on  young  plants  use  white 
hellebore  powder. 

If  any  leaf  eater  gets  after  the  melons,  cucumbers 
or  squash,  use  Paris  green  or  arsenate  of  lead. 
Use  one  of  these  poisons  for  the  potato  bug,  always 
mixing  it  with  the  Bordeaux  in  place  of  water. 
Watch  the  beans,  celery,  cucumbers,  melons,  pota- 
toes and  tomatoes,  and  do  not  let  them  be  attacked 
by  blight.  Bordeaux  is  the  preventive.  For  aphis 
on  peas,  use  tobacco  or  kerosene  emulsion. 

Watering  and  Fertilizing.  Water  the  garden  con- 
stantly if  the  weather  is  dry,  and  don't  merely 
sprinkle.  Wet  the  ground  thoroughly,  then  culti- 
vate as  soon  as  possible  to  retain  the  moisture.  I  use 
sprinklers  in  my  garden,  letting  them  run  night 
and  day,  changing  their  positions  every  few  hours 
and  selecting  an  especially  dry  spot  to  let  them 
run  on  all  night.  If  you  haven't  running  water  in 
your  garden,  don't  use  pump  water  direct  from 
the  pump,  as  it  is  too  cold  at  this  time  of  the  year. 
Pump  a  couple  of  barrels  full  and  let  the  water 
stand  for  an  hour  or  two  before  using  it. 

Give  an  application  of  nitrate  of  soda  to  all 
crops  that  are  to  stand  throughout  the  season,  such 
as  Lima  beans,  parsnips,  etc.  This  fertilizer  comes 
in  the  form  of  white  crystals.  Crush  it  to  a  powdery 
form  and  scatter  it  along  the  rows,  close  to  the 


190  GARDEN  PROFITS 

plants.  As  it  is  expensive,  buy  about  ten  pounds 
at  a  time,  making  it  go  as  far  as  you  can,  without 
skimping.  This  encourages  root  action  and  re- 
news growth.  Keep  the  cultivator  working.  It 
is  not  only  the  best  protection  against  dry  weather, 
but  also  keeps  the  weeds  in  check. 

Fruits.  Currants  may  need  some  spraying  this 
month.  Use  arsenate  of  lead,  or  Paris  green,  if 
you  feel  more  at  home  with  it. 

Strawberries.  After  your  strawberry  bed  has 
borne  two  crops  (that  is  when  it  is  three  years  old) 
you  might  as  well  plow  it  up  and  use  the  ground 
for  something  else.  This  presupposes  that  you 
have  another  section  of  the  bed  coming  into  bear- 
ing next  year.  It  is  a  very  nice  plan  to  spread 
straw  or  hay  around  your  plants  for  the  berries 
to  rest  on.  It  keeps  them  clean  and  helps  them  to 
ripen  evenly. 

JULY 

Fighting  the  Heat  and  Drought.  The  usual  July 
condition  in  the  vegetable  garden  is  merely  a  sur- 
vival of  the  fittest  —  the  weather  is  both  hot  and 
dry.  If  possible,  artificial  watering  must  be  done. 
Of  course,  there  is  nothing  to  equal  a  good,  natural 
rainfall,  but  rather  than  let  the  crops  die,  give  them 
plenty  of  water  at  any  or  all  times  of  the  day,  even 
though  it  be  cold  spring  water.  When  you  do 
give  water,  give  freely.  Plants  are  like  animals; 
when  they  are  dry  and  thirsty  they  want  a  real 
drink  and  not  a  mere  spoonful;  therefore,  if  the 
weather  warrants  it,  keep  the  sprinklers  going  all 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    191 

the  time.  The  heat-loving  vegetables,  such  as 
eggplant,  corn,  etc.,  can  get  along  with  very  little 
water;  but  celery,  lettuce,  cabbage,  etc.,  must 
be  watered  abundantly,  and  not  being  heat-loving 
plants,  will  not  be  shocked  in  any  way  by  cold 
water.  Keeping  the  cultivator  working  incessantly 
will  lessen  the  labor  of  watering  by  conserving  the 
moisture  already  in  the  ground. 

Late  Transplanting.  If  any  of  those  last-named 
vegetables  were  planted  in  the  seedbed  and  later 
dibbled  in  a  bed  made  for  that  purpose,  they  must 
now  be  transplanted  to  their  permanent  places  in 
the  garden.  In  shifting,  always  use  plenty  of  water 
and  thereby  avoid  "stub"  or  branched  root.  If  the 
plants  are  seemingly  a  little  large  for  transplanting, 
and  there  is  any  danger  of  their  suffering  from  the 
shock,  cut  off  the  outer  leaves,  but  do  not  cut  the 
heart. 

Celery  Care.  The  one  crop  to  be  given  most 
attention  now,  however,  is  celery,  especially  with 
the  idea  of  succession  for  later  use.  Keep  the  early 
celery  well  watered,  and  cultivate  frequently. 
An  application  of  nitrate  of  soda  (one  ounce  to 
three  gallons  of  water)  will  keep  it  growing  fast. 
Keep  hilling  as  it  grows,  but  be  careful  not  to 
get  the  soil  above  the  heart.  Do  not  wait  for  blight 
to  appear  before  you  spray  with  Bordeaux  mixture. 
Keep  right  on  setting  out  late  celery  as  fast  as  you 
can  find  room  for  it  in  the  places  left  vacant  by 
early  vegetables. 

Onions  are  not  deep  rooters  and  stand  an  abun- 
dance of  water  and  feeding.  Give  them,  twice  a 


i92  GARDEN  PROFITS 

week,  used  alternately,  manure  water  and  nitrate 
of  soda,  or  sulphate  of  ammonia  in  solution.  If 
you  use  the  chemically  pure,  a  6-inch  potful  is 
sufficient  for  a  barrel  of  water.  In  order  to  have 
big  stringless  parsnips  never  let  the  plants  suffer 
for  water.  Give  them  a  good  shaking  up  occa- 
sionally with  some  soda. 

Don't  Forget  the  Asparagus  Bed.  Asparagus  plants 
will  now  be  building  crowns  for  next  season's 
growth,  and  the  bed  needs  attention,  because  the 
better  the  crowns  the  better  the  cut  next  year. 
Give  one  application  of  salt  during  the  month  at 
the  rate  of  one  pound  of  salt  to  every  twenty  square 
feet,  or  500  pounds  to  a  60  x  180  ft.  bed.  If 
the  bed  looks  poor  and  hasn't  a  healthy,  dark  green 
color  give  one  application  of  nitrate  of  soda,  using 
one  pound  to  100  square  feet.  Apply  it  during 
a  rainfall  so  that  it  will  dissolve  at  once.  Look 
out  for  asparagus  beetle;  if  it  appears,  dust  the 
plants  with  hellebore  powder,  early  in  the  morning 
when  they  are  still  wet  with  dew,  or  spray  them 
with  Paris  green  or  arsenate  of  lead. 

Ripening  and  Picking  Melons.  Now  is  the  critical 
stage  in  the  growth  of  a  melon  vine,  for  the  fruit 
is  swelling  fast.  Use  Bordeaux  as  a  preventive 
against  any  possible  blight  and  if  dry  weather  is 
bothering  the  vines  water  the  roots  thoroughly. 
Do  this  in  the  morning  after  the  sun  gets  strong. 
Toward  the  end  of  the  month  some  of  the  melons 
should  be  ripening.  Look  over  them  carefully 
but  never  pull  a  muskmelon  from  the  vine  —  it 
will  part  easily  from  the  stem  when  ripe.  If  you 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    193 

have  a  good  place  in  which  to  ripen  them,  such  as 
a  hotbed  or  an  empty  greenhouse,  pull  the  melons 
from  the  stem  when  they  are  just  starting  to  crack 
where  the  stem  joins  the  melon.  Placing  them  in 
a  dry  heat  of  about  120  to  130  degrees,  for  a  few 
hours  puts  flavour  into  them  and  ripens  them  to 
the  outer  skin.  In  looking  over  your  melons, 
always  pick  off  any  leaves  that  are  diseased  and, 
when  the  melons  are  about  the  size  of  baseballs, 
lift  them  and  place  them  on  boards  so  as  to  have 
them  ripen  evenly.  Use  a  shingle  cut  in  two. 
One  good  application  of  nitrate  of  soda  when  the 
fruit  is  swelling  will  help  the  plants  considerably. 

Watermelons  require  very  little  attention,  as 
they  are  robust  growers  and  very  free  from  attacks 
of  insects  and  diseases.  If  the  vines  show  any 
signs  of  flagging  give  an  application  of  manure 
water  and  follow  with  nitrate  of  soda,  but  do  not 
do  this  until  the  fruit  is  set.  If  you  do,  it  will 
start  growth  anew  and  you  will  lose  a  couple  of 
weeks. 

iveep  the  tomato  vines  trimmed.  Cut  off  the 
laterals,  except  two  on  each  stem  if  it  is  necessary 
to  cover  a  trellis;  leave  only  one  stem  if  you  have 
planted  them  close  together.  Never  let  the  plants 
get  dry  nor  excessively  wet  at  the  roots,  for  either 
extreme  will  cause  the  tomatoes  to  decay  in  the 
centre  and  drop. 

Keep  the  potatoes  growing  by  good  cultivation, 
and  spray  with  Bordeaux.  Use  Paris  green  in  case 
there  are  any  bugs  on  the  plants.  Give  the  final 
hilling  when  they  are  in  flower.  I  prefer  flat 


I94  GARDEN  PROFITS 

cultivation  until  then.  Look  over  the  squash 
and  pumpkins  for  leaf  eaters  and  spray  with  poison. 

What  to  Sow  in  July.  Early  corn  will  now  be 
ready  for  use.  Look  at  Golden  Bantam  first  and 
use  care  in  selecting  the  ears.  I  can  tell  by  feeling 
an  ear  whether  it  is  ready  for  the  table  or  not,  while 
some  determine  it  by  the  silk;  this  is  not  so  sure  a  sign 
as  the  firmness  of  the  ears,  as  some  varieties  ripen  the 
silk  earlier  than  others.  Get  acquainted  with  the 
other  method.  It  is  safe  to  sow  corn  as  late  as  July 
15.  Use  two  varieties,  the  early  and  second  early;  if 
one  does  not  mature  the  other  will.  Sow  the  rows  of 
the  early  variety  about  two  feet,  and  the  second  early 
varieties  two  and  a  half  feet  apart.  It  will  then  be 
an  easy  matter  to  protect  some  from  early  frosts. 

The  spring  crop  of  peas  is  almost  gone,  but 
toward  the  end  of  the  month  you  can  start  sowing 
again,  using  early  varieties.  Remember  that  the 
secret  of  success  with  late  peas  is  never  to  let  them 
suffer  for  water. 

Make  the  last  sowing  of  cucumbers  about  July 
15.  If  you  take  care  of  these  by  spraying  with 
Bordeaux  mixture  they  will  last  until  frost.  Pick 
off  any  diseased  or  blighted  leaves  when  you  are 
going  over  the  vines.  Eggplants  and  peppers  should 
now  be  ready  for  use.  If  the  plants  get  tall  and 
the  garden  is  exposed  to  winds,  stake  them  to  pre- 
vent breakage. 

Sow  endive  twice  during  the  month.  The  best 
variety  is  the  broad-leaved  Batavian,  which  the 
French  call  Escarol.  When  the  young  seedlings 
are  large  enough,  set  them  in  rows  the  same  as  lettuce. 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    195 

Keep  the  leeks  hilled  up  as  they  grow  and  feed 
constantly  with  liquid  manure  and  nitrates. 

Make  two  sowings  of  bush  beans  during  the 
month.  Keep  the  early  sowings  well  hilled  and 
if  the  ground  bakes  to  any  extent,  mulch.  Keep 
the  leading  shoots  of  the  Lima  beans  tied  to  the 
poles  until  they  start  climbing  of  their  own  accord. 
Look  over  the  bush  Limas  for  an  early  picking 
toward  the  end  of  the  month,  and  do  not  let  the 
beans  get  hard  and  dry.  Lima  beans  should  be 
green  and  not  white  when  cooked. 

Sow  lettuce  three  times  during  July  and  keep 
the  young  seedlings  well  watered.  In  fact,  all 
lettuce  should  be  kept  very  moist  to  prevent  it 
from  running  to  seed  too  quickly.  If  you  haven't 
planted  them  in  a  shaded  place,  build  a  cheesecloth 
frame  over  the  plants  that  are  beginning  to  head 
up  and  make  a  habit  of  spraying  them  night  and 
morning  during  the  warm  weather.  This  is  the 
secret  of  good,  crisp  lettuce. 

Make  two  sowings  of  beets  and  carrots  during 
July.  Keep  all  the  sowings  well  thinned  and  see 
that  this  is  done  when  the  seedlings  are  small. 
Keep  these  two  vegetables  well  watered,  especially 
the  beets. 

Sow  rutabagas  for  winter  use  during  July.  The 
early  part  of  the  month  is  the  best,  but  if  you  are 
short  of  space  it  can  safely  go  for  a  week  or  two. 

A  FEW  FRUIT  DUTIES 

Thinning  Fruit.  As  long  as  you  are  raising  fruit 
you  will  want  the  best.  So  in  future  years,  when 


196  GARDEN  PROFITS 

your  trees  are  bearing  heavily,  thin  your  peaches, 
plums,  pears  and  apples.  Take  out  perhaps  one- 
third  of  the  young  fruits,  if  there  are  a  plenty,  as 
there  should  be,  and  watch  the  others  try  to  fill  the 
space.  The  chances  are  they  will  nearly  succeed. 

Bag  the  Grapes.  To  improve  the  quality  in  grapes 
bagging  is  an  excellent  plan  if  you  can  afford  a 
little  extra  time.  Use  common  brown  paper  bags; 
gather  the  neck  around  the  stem  and  pin  it  there. 
The  bunch  will  be  protected  from  insects,  disease, 
sunburn  and  birds. 

Keep  up  the  Cultivating.  After  this  month  you  had 
better  stop,  so  do  a  good  job  while  you  are  about  it. 

Pruning.  The  raspberries  and  blackberries 
should  be  cut  back  to  2-j/£  and  3  feet  respectively 
to  cause  side  branching  and  good  stocky  growth. 
The  idea  in  growing  these  bramble  crops  is  not  to 
have  as  big  a  bush  as  possible,  but  to  maintain  only 
the  strongest  canes  and  to  keep  these  producing 
to  their  maximum  capacity. 

AUGUST 

The  careful,  persistent  gardener  is  now  reaping 
his  harvest  of  corn,  Limas,  celery,  tomatoes,  egg- 
plant, peppers,  etc.  Something  different  may  be 
had  for  every  day  in  the  week.  But  because  of 
these  results,  do  not  rest.  The  weeds  must  be 
kept  down. 

Blanching  Celery  with  Boards.  Early  celery 
should  be  ready  for  blanching.  Some  gardeners 
earth  up  the  plants,  but  I  have  found  it  causes 
decay  at  this  season,  particularly  if  a  heavy  rain 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    197 

follows  the  hilling-up  process.  Boards  are  easy 
to  put  in  place  and  are  cheaper  than  hilling  with 
dirt  because  they  can  be  used  continuously  and 
shifted  from  one  part  of  the  row  to  another.  Take 
two  12-inch  boards,  place  them  against  the  celery 
and  as  close  together  as  possible  without  cracking 
the  stalks,  and  drive  a  few  stakes  down  into  the 
ground  on  the  outside  to  keep  the  boards  in  position. 
This  will  give  a  well-blanched  heart.  If  you  wish 
to  blanch  the  entire  plant,  have  the  side  boards 
come  up  high  enough  to  support  another  board 
across  the  top  to  exclude  the  light.  When  I  do 
this,  however,  I  find  that  the  outer  stalks  are  invari- 
ably tough  and  stringy,  caused  by  the  plants  grow- 
ing during  warm  weather. 

The  Hilling  Method.  With  late  celery  it  is  quite 
different;  the  entire  plant  can  be  blanched  and  all 
be  of  good  quality.  Hilling-up  must  be  attended 
to  with  regularity;  moreover,  it  must  be  done 
often  and  well,  for  more  celery  is  ruined  by  poor, 
indifferent  hilling  than  by  any  other  cause.  The 
idea  in  hilling  celery  is  that  the  soil  should  be 
kept  drawn  up  to  the  plant  as  it  grows,  but  none 
must  fall  into  the  heart  or  between  the  stalks  of 
the  celery.  The  first  step  is  to  take  a  digging 
fork  and  loosen  up  the  soil  on  each  side  of  the  row. 
Then  remove  any  suckers  or  shoots  that  appear 
between  the  stalks,  grasp  the  plant  with  one  hand 
and  hold  it  tightly  to  keep  the  stalks  close  together. 
This  will  prevent  soil  from  getting  in  the  heart 
or  between  the  stalks.  Draw  some  soil  up  to  the 
plant  and  press  it  firmly  against  the  stalks,  using 


198  GARDEN  PROFITS 

your  fist  or  a  brick.  Be  careful  that  you  do  not 
scratch  the  stalk  in  any  way;  scratches  make  dark, 
rusty  spots  on  the  stems  and  can  be  easily  avoided 
with  a  little  care.  Also  keep  any  stones  from  coming 
in  contact  with  the  stalks,  as  they  also  will  scratch. 
Never  hill  your  celery  when  it  is  wet,  or  in  the  morn- 
ing when  the  dew  is  still  on  the  plants,  as  the  mois- 
ture will  soon  start  decay. 

Keep  the  Celery  Growing.  Keep  celery  well 
watered  at  all  times.  Lack  of  water  makes  strings; 
good,  quick  growth  makes  celery  that  cracks  in  one's 
hand  "like  a  pipe-stem."  An  occasional  watering 
with  liquid  manure  will  keep  the  plants  growing  fast. 
Use  a  half-bushel  of  manure  (cow  manure  is  pref- 
erable) to  a  barrel  of  water,  letting  it  stand  for 
forty-eight  hours  before  using.  Then  thin  it  down 
to  about  one  half  strength.  A  dose  of  nitrate  of 
soda  is  also  beneficial.  Use  a  6-inch  flower  pot  of 
soda  to  a  barrel  of  water,  and  apply  as  soon  as 
dissolved. 

Seeds  for  Present  Sowing.  Sow  bush  beans  twice 
during  the  month  —  once  on  the  first,  and  again 
on  the  1 5th.  Put  in  several  rows  at  each  sowing, 
and  place  the  rows  about  fifteen  inches  apart,  so 
that  it  will  be  easy  to  protect  them  from  the 
frost  later  on,  for  which  purpose  start  collecting 
old  burlap  and  covering  material  now. 

Make  the  final  sowings  of  beets  and  carrots  about 
August  i  to  10,  for  a  winter  supply.  Be  sure 
you  put  in  enough  seed.  I  have  found  that  by 
sowing  at  this  time  the  vegetables  are  of  good  size 
and  excellent  quality  when  harvested.  I  use 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN 


199 


Guerande  carrot  and  Eclipse  beet,  but  any  of  the 
good  standard  varieties  will  be  satisfactory. 

At  this  time  recall  the 
method  of  thinning  carrots 
and  beets  that  was  advo- 
cated by  one  of  the  success- 
ful gardeners  in  an  earlier 
chapter.  Remove  first  the 
spindling,  weak  seedlings  that 
are  obviously  of  no  use;  then 
wait  for  the  plants  to  become 
slightly  crowded  and  pull  out 
the  largest  of  these.  Such 
carrots  and  beets  are  usu- 
ally fully  large  enough  to  be 
used;  thus  they  have  not  been 
wasted  in  the  thinning,  and 
plenty  of  room  has  been  pro- 
vided for  the  latter  growth  of  the  remaining  roots. 

Sow  endive  and  lettuce  twice  during  the  month. 
Keep  setting  out  the  young  plants  from  the  seed 
beds,  and  do  not  let  them  suffer  for  water.  Put 
them  in  between  the  celery  rows.  Make  two  sow- 
ings of  turnip  and  kohlrabi,  if  you  care  for  these 
vegetables.  The  former  is  excellent  for  soup  making, 
and  the  latter  is  a  good  spring  and  fall  vegetable. 

Sow  peas  twice  during  the  month,  using  the  early 
varieties,  such  as  Nott's  Excelsior  or  New  York 
Market.  Keep  them  well  watered  and  watch  out 
for  the  aphis.  If  it  appears,  spray  with  a  good 
standard  tobacco  preparation.  Directions  for  use 
always  accompany  such  preparations. 


This  pruning  pole  made 
of  a  pair  of  broken  scissors, 
some  staples,  wire  and  a 
rubber  band,  is  cheap  and 
efficient  for  light  summer 
work,  though  not  strong 
enough  for  severe,  hard- 
wood pruning 


200  GARDEN  PROFITS 

Start  sowing  spinach  now  for  a  fall  crop.  I 
always  sow  spinach  when  I  sow  peas,  putting  the 
rows  of  peas  three  feet  apart  and  planting  the  spin- 
ach in  between  the  rows.  Both  these  are  spring  and 
fall  crops,  and  grow  well  together. 

Do  You  Know  a  Ripe  Watermelon?  In  order  to 
determine  this  (for  watermelons  do  not  leave  the 
vines  when  ripe,  as  do  muskmelons),  select  one  of 
the  largest  melons,  place  both  hands  on  the  top  and 
press  downward.  Do  not  place  the  weight  of  your 
body  on  it,  but  give  a  quick,  downward  pressure. 
If  the  melon  crunches  it  is  ripe  and  ready  for  eating. 

Harvest  the  Onions.  If  the  tops  of  the  onions 
have  turned  yellow,  pull  them  up  and  lay  them  on 
their  sides  in  rows,  so  that  the  sun  can  dry  them  out 
a  trifle.  Leave  them  so  for  several  days.  Before 
storing,  twist  the  tops  off  by  holding  the  top  in  one 
hand  close  to  the  bulb  and  twisting  the  bulb  with 
the  other  hand.  Store  in  a  cool,  dry  place  and 
look  over  them  occasionally  to  prevent  growth 
from  starting  and  to  discover  and  remove  any  that 
may  have  decayed. 

The  Crops  that  Must  Keep  Growing.  Keep  the  win- 
ter root  crops,  such  as  parsnips,  salsify,  rutabagas, 
carrots,  beets,  etc.,  well  watered.  Growth  should  be 
kept  up  for  at  least  this  month;  after  that,  parsnips 
and  salsify  will  have  practically  stopped  growing; 
rutabagas,  carrots,  etc.,  will  grow  in  September 
whether  the  weather  is  dry  or  not. 

Blight  in  the  garden  should  still  be  watched  for, 
and  spraying  should  be  continued  regularly  during 
August.  After  this  month  blight  will  not  be  very 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN    201 

troublesome.  Use  Bordeaux  mixture  and  spray 
every  ten  days  to  two  weeks. 

Watch  eggplants  for  potato  bugs.  I  always 
pick  them  off,  for  I  am  rather  timid  about  using 
poison  on  anything  but  root  crops  when  the  vege- 
tables are  about  ripe  and  ready  for  use. 

Begin  to  Save  Manure  Now.  In  fact  do  this  as 
soon  as  you  gather  any  crops  from  which  you  get 
waste  parts.  Pea  vines,  turnip  and  carrot  tops, 
waste  lettuce  leaves  and  all  such  refuse  (unless 
you  can  feed  it  to  hogs)  will  increase  the  value 
of  your  manure  when  well  mixed  and  rotted.  It 
will  be  worth  while  to  make  some  sort  of  permanent 
manure  pit,  which  will  serve  also  as  a  rubbish  pile. 
Such  a  pit  can  be  built  in  one  corner  of  the  garden, 
and  will  pay  well  for  the  room  it  takes.  If  possible 
lay  a  cement  floor  or  make  a  pit  a  couple  of  feet 
deep  lined  with  concrete.  If  this  is  impossible, 
much  valuable  material  is  likely  to  leach  away. 
Enclose  or  roof  it  in  some  way,  so  that  the  rain 
and  snow  cannot  beat  in  upon  the  compost.  Add 
manure  to  the  pile  whenever  you  can  get  it,  also 
sods,  la.wn  cuttings  and  now  and  then  a  little  loam. 
If  you  have  access  to  liquid  manure  from  the  horse 
or  cow  stables,  add  it  plentifully  to  the  vegetable 
matter.  You  can  prevent  any  odor  from  this  pit, 
by  covering  any  fresh  additions  of  manure  or  re- 
fuse that  will  quickly  decay,  with  a  litttle  sawdust, 
loam,  or  straw  bedding  —  whatever  comes  easiest 
to  hand  and  is  dry  and  fresh.  It,  too,  will  break 
down  later  in  the  mass  of  manure. 

Very    possibly    an    excellent    source    of    manure 


202  GARDEN  PROFITS 

is  being  overlooked  by  the  vast  majority  of  subur- 
ban gardeners.  Make  some  arrangement  for  getting 
the  street  sweepings  from  your  block  or  at  least 
in  front  of  your  house.  In  a  few  months  you  will 
have  much  valuable  manure,  while  the  dust  that 
will  be  included  will  not  be  at  all  undesirable. 

Putting  the  Fruits  to  Sleep.  We  cease  cultivating 
around  the  bush  fruits  and  trees  about  this  time 
so  that  they  will  mature  their  wood  and  not  remain 
in  a  growing  and  comparatively  tender  state  into 
late  autumn.  In  large  orchards  the  practice  is  to 
sow  a  cover  crop  of  rye,  or  clover  and  plow  it  under 
the  next  spring.  If  you  can  dig  such  a  crop  well 
under,  it  will  be  a  good  thing  for  the  dwarfs.  I 
should  expect,  however,  that  you  would  do  better 
to  mulch  lightly  with  manure,  to  keep  down  the 
weeds.  A  heavier  mulch  added  in  October  will 
protect  the  trees  over  winter. 

SEPTEMBER 

I  would  have  no  one  get  the  idea  that  a  garden, 
no  matter  how  small,  is  a  lazy  man's  place.  To 
be  exact,  is  there  any  place  where  a  lazy  man 
gets  the  best  of  things?  But  as  September  grows 
older,  the  gardener,  who  has  put  his  heart  and  energy 
into  his  work  all  the  season,  can  really  begin  to 
take  things  more  easily.  Enough  cultivating  after 
rains,  to  keep  the  soil  loose,  will  become  merely  a 
pastime,  but  the  fight  with  weeds  and  bugs  will 
have  been  about  won  (or  lost?)  by  now,  and  very 
little  sowing  will  need  your  attention. 

Plan  Improvements.  Go  around  and  visit   neigh- 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN  203 

boring  gardens  this  month,  making  notes  of  their 
size  and  also  of  the  manner  in  which  they  are  laid 
out.  Ask  the  successful  gardeners  what  varieties 
they  use  in  certain  crops  that  are  particularly  fine, 
and  make  a  note  of  it. 

Fall  Sowings.  Radishes  can  still  be  sown  out- 
of-doors  on  the  1st  and  the  I5th.  Spinach  should 
also  be  sown  twice,  and  if  it  does  not  mature  before 
cold  weather  cover  it  later  with  hay  and  it  will 
be  a  very  early  spring  crop. 

If  you  have  a  coldframe  keep  right  on  sowing 
lettuce  and,  as  it  reaches  planting  size,  transplant 
to  the  frame  where  it  can  be  protected  on  cool 
nights.  The  crop  will  last  until  the  holidays.  If 
you  do  not  have  a  frame,  however,  make  only  one 
sowing  as  near  the  first  of  the  month  as  possible. 
Some  folks  sow  cabbage,  cauliflower,  and  broccoli 
now,  and  then  transplant  to  the  frames  later  on, 
carrying  the  plants  over  all  winter  and  planting  out 
in  the  gardens  in  spring.  There  is  nothing  to  be 
gained  by  doing  this,  for  you  can  get  as  good  plants 
by  starting  a  hotbed  in  the  latter  part  of  February. 
Spinach  and  radishes  can  also  be  sown  in  the  frame, 
and  will  be  ready  for  use  before  severe  weather 
checks  their  growth. 

Keep  right  on  hilling  celery.  It  is  growing  fast 
now  and  must  not  be  neglected  under  any  circum- 
stances. If  the  ground  is  at  all  dry  don't  hesi- 
tate to  water  the  plants.  Good  celery  cannot  be 
grown  in  a  hot,  dry  location. 

The  Handmarks  of  a  Careful  Gardener.  Keep  the 
cultivator  working  this  month.  After  September 


204  GARDEN  PROFITS 

you  can  probably  dispense  with  it  until  another 
season.  Also  see  that  all  vegetable  plants  that  are 
through  bearing  are  cleaned  up  and  placed  on  the 
rubbish  heap,  because  otherwise  they  breed  and 
harbor  insects.  All  places  cleared  should  be  sown 
down  with  winter  rye,  a  process  very  beneficial 
to  the  ground,  but  which  very  few  people  seem 
to  appreciate.  Sow  rye  in  fall  for  a  good  heavy 
stand,  and  plow  it  under  in  early  spring. 

OCTOBER. 

Cover  Crops  and  Insects.  October  is  clearing-up 
month  in  the  garden.  Don't  think  this  is  a  job 
that  you  can  skip,  and  expect  to  come  out  lucky 
in  spring.  Clean  the  ground  thoroughly,  clearing 
away  all  refuse.  Burn  what  will  burn,  and  don't 
leave  any  lying  around  to  decay  and  breed  insects 
and  pests  of  all  kinds.  It  is  not  too  late  to  sow 
rye  in  all  ground  that  is  cleared;  but  if  you  were 
troubled  to  any  great  extent  with  worms  of  various 
kinds  last  season,  I  would  advise  trenching  the 
ground  in  preference.  Trench  deep,  but  wait 
until  you  are  likely  to  have  a  sharp  freezing  spell 
shortly  after  doing  so.  The  trenches  should  be 
about  two  feet  deep  and  the  same  distance  apart. 

Getting  the  Best  of  the  Early  Frosts.  Usually  about 
the  first  or  second  week  in  October,  we  have  a 
killing  frost.  This  lays  low  all  tender  vegetables, 
such  as  beans,  corn,  etc.  Then  a  few  weeks  of  good 
weather  is  likely  to  follow.  It  seems  a  great  mis- 
take to  let  this  first  frost  rob  us  of  our  gardens. 
When  you  are  confronted  by  steady  freezing  weather 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN   205 

you  must  throw  up  your  hands,  but  there  are  ways 
and  means  of  preventing  this  first  frost  from  en- 
tirely ruining  the  garden.  Beans,  lettuce,  corn, 
bush  Limas,  and  all  tender  vegetables  can  be  saved 
from  destruction  by  a  covering  of  burlap;  a  pep- 
per or  eggplant  by  a  barrel  or  an  old  box;  and 
thus  made  to  last  a  long  time.  In  some  gardens 
a  smudge  fire  is  used.  The  fire  is  always  placed 
to  the  windward  of  the  garden. 

Keeping  Celery  Outdoors.  Don't  house  your  cel- 
ery now;  it  is  apt  to  get  tough  and  stringy.  If 
you  place  it  in  trenches  before  very  cool  weather 
is  here,  it  is  likely  to  rot.  If  you  leave  it  out-of- 
doors  it  gets  nipped  with  the  frost,  and  while 
celery  can  stand  considerable  frost  (in  fact,  frost 
improves  the  flavor),  it  cannot  stand  heavy 
freezing,  especially  if  the  sun  hits  it  right  after  it 
has  been  frozen.  I  have  a  scheme  which  I  have 
tried  for  two  seasons,  and  it  works  to  perfection.  I 
never  store  my  celery  before  the  middle  of  Novem- 
ber, but  during  the  early  frosts  of  late  .October 
and  early  November  I  cover  it  with  salt  hay.  I 
don't  leave  the  hay  on  the  plants.  I  always  remove 
it  the  next  morning;  in  fact,  there  are  few  nights 
when  it  is  necessary  to  put  it  on,  but  those  few 
nights  are  just  enough  to  ruin  a  nice  batch  of  celery. 
By  this  method  I  don't  need  to  store  my  celery 
before  the  ground  gets  cool.  The  crop  is  well  hard- 
ened up,  and  the  cool  nights  have  put  flavor  into 
the  stalks  that  can't  be  done  any  other  way. 
Celery  thus  hardened  and  handled  will  never  de- 
teriorate one  particle;  I  take  celery  from  the  trenches 


2o6  GARDEN  PROFITS 

in  March  that  is  just  as  solid  and  as  fine  as  when 
placed  there. 

Storing  Roots.  Some  of  the  root  crops  can  be 
stored  during  October.  Beets,  carrots,  salsify,  etc., 
can  all  be  lifted  now,  the  tops  cut  off,  and  the 
roots  placed  in  trenches  for  the  winter.  Don't 
do  this  during  wet  weather,  as  root  crops  should 
go  into  the  trenches  dry  —  that  is,  there  should 
be  no  outside  moisture  on  the  roots,  or  they  would 
decay.  I  always  store  my  root  vegetables  in  out- 
door trenches.  Some  growers  put  them  in  the 
cellar;  they  keep  well  there,  but  are  apt  to  dry 
out  considerably  and  thus  lose  a  certain  amount 
of  their  flavor.  By  storing  in  trenches,  although 
perhaps  a  little  more  troublesome,  the  vegetables 
are  kept  moist,  and  therefore  retain  their  good 
qualities.  In  fact,  after  cooking,  I  defy  any  one  to 
tell  me  the  difference  between  a  fresh  grown  beet 
and  one  taken  from  an  outside  trench. 

To  prepare  a  trench,  dig  a  space  the  size  required 
about  three  feet  deep  and  place  the  vegetables  in 
fixed  places,  so  you  will  know  later  on  where  they 
are.  Save  room  for  parsnips  and  turnips  and 
salsify,  as  these  vegetables  to  get  their  best  flavor 
should  be  left  out  doors  until  they  have  been  frosted. 
Then  cover  with  about  one  foot  of  hay  and  sprinkle 
a  little  dirt  over  this  to  keep  it  down.  As  cold 
weather  advances  keep  adding  some  hay  and  a 
little  dirt  —  leaves  will  do  just  as  well  —  and  al- 
ways sprinkle  some  dirt  in  among  the  vegetables 
before  covering  them  up,  as  this  helps  to  keep 
them  moist. 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN   207 

NOVEMBER 

Storing  Celery  for  Winter.  The  most  important 
work  to  be  done  in  November  is  storing  the  celery 
crop  for  the  winter.  There  are  several  important 
points  to  be  remembered.  First  of  all  it  must  be 
kept  from  freezing,  and  free  from  excessive  moisture; 
both  will  cause  it  to  rot.  On  the  other  hand  it 


By  this  method  of  storing  celery  but  one  final  lifting  Is  made  neces- 
sary, and  the  plants,  while  protected,  retain  every  bit  of  the  flavor  and 
quality  of  the  freshly  dug.  still-growing  vegetable.  Increase  the 
amount  of  litter  as  your  climatic  conditions  warrant.  (See  page  209) 

must  not  be  kept  too  dry  or  too  warm,  or  it  will 
get  tough  and  stringy  and  lose  that  rich  nutty 
flavor.  It  should  go  in  the  trenches  with  the  roots 
in  a  fairly  moist  condition,  and  the  stalks  dry. 
I  have  tried  storing  celery  in  almost  every  con- 
ceivable way — I  have  stored  in  cellars;  I  have  built 
low  shed  roofs  where  protection  could  be  afforded 


208  GARDEN  PROFITS 

from  the  weather,  yet  a  low  temperature  main- 
tained by  means  of  ventilation;  I  have  left  it  in 
the  trenches  where  it  was  growing  and  have  covered 
it  with  dirt,  leaves  and  litter.  But  where  a  lot  of 
celery  is  grown  for  winter  use  I  prefer  putting  it 
in  outside  trenches.  I  make  one  trench  large 
enough  to  accommodate  the  entire  crop  —  and 
cover  the  celery  with  dirt,  and  later  with  leaves 
and  litter. 

The  Celery  Trench.  A  trench  is  staked  out  about 
ten  feet  wide,  as  long  as  desired,  and  about  eighteen 
inches  deep,  the  soil  being  thrown  to  one  side  until 
needed  again.  I  then  lift  the  plants  with  a  ball 
of  earth.  Some  growers  shake  the  celery  so  as  to 
remove  the  dirt;  this  may  be  all  right  when  the 
crop  is  grown  on  a  large  scale  for  market,  and 
quantity  not  quality  is  the  maxim.  If  you  want 
the  best  celery,  leave  the  soil  on  the  roots,  and  if 
it  is  moist  it  will  supply  the  celery  with  what  little 
moisture  is  required  in  the  trench.  Pack  the 
plants  in  the  trench  one  row  at  a  time,  and  just 
far  enough  apart  so  that  they  don't  touch  each 
other.  Then  if  one  head  rots,  it  won't  spoil  the 
adjoining  ones.  Cover  the  row  with  enough  soil 
to  prevent  the  next  row  from  coming  in  contact 
with  it.  The  soil  used  for  covering  should  be 
moderately  dry. 

After  throwing  the  soil  on  the  row,  firm  it  slightly 
with  the  foot,  place  another  row  in  position,  and 
so  on  until  it  has  all  been  stored.  Sprinkle  the  soil 
over  the  plants  on  top,  and  give  it  an  opportunity 
to  work  its  way  down  among  the  stalks.  Don't 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN   209 

throw  it  on,  but  fill  the  shovel  and  hold  it  over 
the  celery,  rocking  it  from  side  to  side  so  that  no 
stalks  will  be  broken.  Don't  forget  that  the  plants 
should  be  perfectly  dry.  Do  not  do  this  work  in 
the  morning,  but  let  it  go  until  noon  so  that  any 
moisture  that  has  gathered  in  the  hearts  over 
night,  may  dry  out.  If  the  plants  were  to  be 
stored  in  a  cellar,  a  little  moisture  wouldn't  be 
harmful,  but  even  then,  if  there  is  any  present  in 
the  heart,  it  is  liable  to  start  decay. 

After  the  trenches  are  covered  with  soil,  about 
a  foot  of  leaves  or  rough  litter  is  added,  which  in 
turn  is  covered  with  about  four  inches  of  soil.  The 
leaves  or  litter  form  an  air  space  through  which 
it  is  hard  for  frost  to  penetrate.  The  celery  will 
keep  just  as  well  if  enough  dirt  is  piled  on  top  to 
prevent  freezing,  but  it  would  necessitate  con- 
siderable digging  when  the  celery  was  wanted  for 
use.  By  using  a  layer  or  two  of  leaves  or  salt 
hay  or  anything  of  that  nature  that  will  not  pack 
solid,  frost  will  be  kept  out  just  as  well.  The 
trench  should  be  mounded  up  in  the  centre  so  that 
all  moisture  will  drain  off. 

In  the  Very  Small  Garden.  For  a  very  small 
garden,  where  but  a  few  plants  are  grown  which 
are  usually  disposed  of  by  the  middle  of  January 
or  thereabouts,  I  would  advise  covering  the  celery 
in  the  trenches  where  it  is  grown.  This  saves  the 
trouble  of  lifting  and  storing  the  plants,  and  the 
celery  keeps  better  than  if  kept  by  any  other  method; 
but,  as  I  said  before,  it  is  more  trouble  to  get  it 
out  of  these  trenches  when  you  need  it.  In  small 


210  GARDEN  PROFITS 

gardens,  where  but  a  few  heads  are  required  at  a 
time,  this  is  not  much  of  a  consideration.  Cover 
the  plants  to  the  top  with  earth  and  cover  liberally 
with  litter  or  leaves,  throwing  a  little  soil  on  top 
to  keep  the  leaves  from  blowing  away.  This 
will  be  found  sufficient  for  any  ordinary  weather, 
but  if  real  winter  sets  in  and  you  still  have  celery 
in  the  ground,  don't  hesitate  to  use  more  litter. 
The  frost  must  be  kept  away.  But  with  all  possible 
care  a  few  heads  will  get  frozen.  Don't  throw 
them  away,  but  plunge  them  in  cold  water  out-of- 
doors  and  if  they  are  not  frozen  too  badly,  this  will 
thaw  them  out  and  make  them  fit  for  use.  Don't 
put  frozen  celery  in  the  sun;  in  ten  minutes  it  will 
look  and  taste  like  a  wet  rag. 

A  Good  Time  to  Fight  Cutworms.  Any  bare  ground 
can  be  trenched  now  for  the  winter;  this  will  do 
more  to  rid  the  soil  of  cutworms  and  other  pests 
than  all  the  various  things  recommended  for  doing 
it  in  spring.  By  waiting  until  now,  you  catch  the 
worms  before  they  have  an  opportunity  of  going 
deeper,  as  they  are  asleep  for  the  winter.  Make 
the  trenches  about  two  feet  apart  and  two  feet 
deep.  Or  else  plow  the  ground  well,  using  a  sub- 
soil plow  so  as  to  loosen  the  ground  as  deep  as  pos- 
sible. Trenching,  however,  is  preferable. 

Mulching  Strawberries.  Now  is  the  time  to  cover 
your  strawberry  bed  for  the  winter.  After  the 
ground  freezes  mulch  with  a  few  inches  of  well- 
rotted  manure.  The  plants  will  get  the  benefit 
of  it,  for  the  winter  rains  will  wash  the  fertiliz- 
ing qualities  into  the  ground,  and  the  roots  will 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN   211 

devour  them  in  early  spring.  In  placing  your  mulch 
always  keep  it  away  from  the  crown  of  the  plant 
as  it  causes  decay  if  it  gets  in  there.  After  the 
mulch  has  been  applied,  cover  the  bed  lightly  with 
an  inch  or  two  of  salt  hay  or  straw.  If  this  is  put 
on  too  heavily  it  will  pound  down  the  plants  and 


Showing  the  difference  In  the  methods  of  handling  heavy  and  light  soil. 
Ridge  up  the  former  in  the  fall  with  &  fork— the  frost  action  all  win- 
ter will  (help  to  pulverize  it.  Dig  light,  sandy  soil  In  the  spring  with 
a  spade.  It  is  inherently  loose  and  tillable 

make  them  suffer  for  lack  of  air.  Lay  a  few  light 
twigs  on  top  to  keep  the  straw  from  blowing  around. 
Bean  poles  are  too  heavy;  use  pea-brush. 

Mulch  the  bush  fruits  at  the  same  time,  using 
good  manure  and  putting  on  about  four  inches 
of  it. 

Both  these  mulches  can  be  removed  in  March, 
and  the  beds  dug  up  thoroughly.  Work  manure 


212 


GARDEN  PROFITS 


into  the  ground,  as  deeply  and  as  close  to  the  plants 
as  possible,  but  avoid  cutting  many  roots.  Better 
to  get  the  manure  in  deep,  a  little  away  from  the 
bushes,  than  to  cut  roots  or  leave  the  manure  near 
the  surface,  where  the  roots  would  follow  and 
probably  get  sunburnt,  or,  at  all  events,  would 
dry  out  quickly. 

Tender  Varieties  of  the  Brambles  are  to  be  bent 
over,  and  their  tips  sufficiently  covered  with  earth 

V 


The  srap«  vine  in  late  autumn  before  being  pruned 

to  hold  them  there.  If  you  are  in  a  very  cold  lo- 
cality, spread  a  little  litter,  straw  or  marsh  hay 
over  these,  as  an  added  precaution.  All  dead 
wood  and  old  stiff  canes  should  be  cut  out  previous 
to  this  covering. 

Apples,  Pears,  etc.  Now  is  the  time  to  really 
dwarf  the  trees.  Cut  back  side  shoots  and  branches 
(in  the  case  of  tree  forms),  or  trim  back  all  extra 
lateral  growths  on  the  branches  of  the  espaliers 


A  YEAR'S  CYCLE  IN  THE  GARDEN   213 

and  cordons.     If  you  don't  mulch  these,  hoe  up 
the  earth  about  them. 
This  is  one  of  the  two  planting  seasons   (until 


Prune  grapes  while  the  wood  is  dormant— between  November  and 
March.  Leave  a  few  shoots  to  carry  the  fruit  higher  on  the  trellis. 
In  severe  locations  these  may  be  laid  down  and  covered 

the  ground  freezes),  so  if  you  get  hold  of  some  new 
trees  or  bushes,  don't  hesitate  to  plant  them, 
taking  the  same  precautions  as  for  March  plant- 
ing. 


VI 

THE  SIMPLICITY  OF   SELF-MAINTAINING 
FERTILITY  THAT  EVERYONE   CAN  HAVE 

THERE  are  two  principles  and  practices 
which  have  been  mentioned  repeat- 
edly.     One    is  the  vital  importance 
of    cultivation,  of    keeping    the  soil 
loose  and  friable  at  all  times.     The 
other  is  the  imperative  necessity  of  an  intelligent 
use  of  fertilizers.     With  these  two  essentials  pro- 
perly attended  to  the  ideal  garden  is  nearer  reali- 
zation than  all  other  sets  of  conditions  put  together 
can  bring  it. 

And  yet  I  wish  nothing  less  than  to  make  these 
subjects  bugbears  to  the  backyard  gardeners,  any 
more  than  to  the  farmer  of  broader  acres;  to  make 
him  feel  that  he  must  give  hours  of  study,  experi- 
ment and  thought  to  the  questions  before  he  can 
make  his  garden  successful.  On  the  contrary 
I  want  to  emphasize,  and  I  want  you  to  realize, 
the  simplicity  of  it;  to  realize  how  many  scien- 
tists and  painstaking  investigators  have  done 
these  very  things  with  the  result  that  the  knowl- 
edge is  available  to  you  in  brief,  compact,  defi- 
nite form,  such  that  you  need  only  acquaint 
yourself  with  a  few  facts  and  practical  instruc- 
214 


SELF-MAINTAINING  FERTILITY     215 

tions,  then   use,   apply  them,  and  reap  bounteous 
rewards. 

PLANT  FOOD  THAT  NEVER  RUNS  OUT 

In  a  general  way  we  can  say  that  fertilizers 
furnish  nutriment  for  plants,  just  as  does  food 
for  people.  There  is  a  certain,  or  rather,  varying 
amount  of  plant  food  at  all  times  in  nearly  all 
soils,  just  as  each  house  contains  more  or  less  pro- 
visions; or  to  make  the  simile  more  accurate,  just 
as  a  gardener  has  some  potential  food  in  his  growing 
vegetables.  They,  however,  take  time  to  ripen 
and  become  edible;  so,  too,  the  plant  food  in  the 
soil  needs  time  in  which  to  become  available  for 
the  plants.  Hence  while  the  housekeeper  saves 
time  by  furnishing  the  family  with  purchased  steak, 
condensed  milk,  soups  etc.,  the  gardener  supplies 
plants  with  rapidly  soluble  fertilizers,  liquid  manure, 
etc.  For,  you  must  know  that  plants  obtain  all 
their  food  in  the  form  of  solutions,  the  dissolving 
agent  being  the  moisture  in  the  soil. 

We  can  go  a  step  farther  in  the  comparison. 
The  unavailable  material  in  the  soil  must  be  changed 
and  prepared  for  assimilation  by  the  plants;  the 
raw,  unprepared  food  in  the  kitchen  must  be  cooked, 
mixed  and  prepared  for  the  table.  In  the  kitchen 
are  cooks  who  do  this  work;  in  the  soil  are  bacteria 
or  "microbes"  which  do  the  same  thing  with  the 
plants'  "uncooked"  provisions. 

Of  these  "soil  cooks"  there  are  several  general 
groups.  The  first  accomplishes  what  is  called  nitri- 
fication, the  breaking  down  of  complex  combina- 


216  GARDEN  PROFITS 

tions  of  carbon  and  nitrogen,  of  which  manures, 
humus  and  other  animal  and  vegetable  wastes 
are  composed.  This  oxidizing  change  results  in 
new  combinations,  of  nitrogen  and  a  maximum 
proportion  of  oxygen,  which  are  directly  assimilable 
by  plants. 

The  second  group,  of  "nitrogen  fixers,"  possesses 
the  power  to  act  on  gaseous,  atmospheric  nitrogen, 
and  with  it  to  build  up  the  compounds  which  mark 
the  beginning  of  the  nitrification  process  outlined 
above.  These  latter  organisms  are  themselves  of 
two  kinds:  first,  those  which  have  entered  into 
partnership  with  certain  plants  —  the  legumes, 
such  as  beans,  peas,  etc.,  in  which  they  store  up 
the  plant  food,  the  accumulations  forming  nodules 
or  tubercles  on  the  roots  of  those  plants;  and 
second,  those  which  accomplish  the  same  results, 
but  without  the  assistance  or  cooperation  of  growing 
plants.  You  will  probably  by  this  time  have  real- 
ized why  the  growth  of  leguminous  "cover  crops" 
is  of  such  benefit  to  the  soil. 

THE  GREATEST  SECRET  OF  ALL 

Now  the  grandest  part  of  all  this  is,  that  this 
work  and  all  these  changes  are  going  on  in  the  soil 
all  the  time.  Plant  food  is  being  prepared  at  all 
hours  of  the  day  and  night,  and  there  is  enough 
raw  material  on  hand  to  last  for  many  a  year.  The 
only  way  you  can  possibly  stop  the  great  work  of  the 
bacteria  is  by  shutting  off  their  air  supply,  by  drown- 
ing them  or  by  poisoning  them  with  acids  just  as 


SELF-MAINTAINING  FERTILITY      217 

they  are  rendered  powerless  in  swamps  and  cold, 
wet,  sour  soils.  You  can  give  them  increased  life, 
increased  vigor,  increased  efficiency,  by  adding  to 
their  air  supply,  by  —  keeping  the  soil  loose!  And 
there  you  have  the  whole,  simple  key  to  the  entire 
secret  of  plant-food  production.  Cultivate  the  soil, 
help  the  bacteria  to  grow  and  work,  give  them, 
occasionally,  manure  to  work  on  and  they  will  feed 
your  plants.  And  then,  if  you  wish  to  augment 
their  effects  and  to  still  further  stimulate  vegeta- 
ble growth,  you  can  use  liquid  manures,  prepared 
fertilizers,  and  the  like,  just  as  you  use  beef  tea, 
canned  goods,  etc.,  to  supplement  the  efforts  of  the 
cook  and  the  gardener. 

WHAT  CERTAIN  PLANTS  LIKE  BEST 

It  would  be  perfectly  true  to  say  that  any  kind  of 
fertilizer  will  help  plants  grow.  But  it  would  not 
be  a  sensible  nor  an  economical  statement  to  make, 
any  more  than  you  would  say  that  any  kind  of  food 
is  best  for  every  person.  As  there  are  preferences 
among  persons,  so  too  there  are  special  needs 
among  plants.  In  the  garden  are  a  few  distinct 
types  of  vegetables,  each  of  which  appreciates  a 
little  different  treatment.  You  might  just  as  well 
know  these,  and  thereby  be  enabled  to  act  intel- 
ligently and  to  get  the  best  possible  results  when 
you  do  fertilize. 

Group  i.  Tubers  and  roots,  including  potatoes 
parsnips,  carrots  and  beets.  These  need  less  manure 
(meaning  coarse  mixtures  of  bedding  and  horse, 


2i8  GARDEN  PROFITS 

pig  or  cow  droppings)  unless  it  be  in  very  fine  condi- 
tion or  applied  to  the  previous  crop.  Apply  com- 
mercial fertilizers  at  time  of  planting  or  soon  after. 

Group  2.  Quick  growers,  of  fleshy  tissue,  near 
the  surface,  such  as  celery,  onions,  turnips  and 
radish.  These  use  plenty  of  rich  manure,  well 
worked  into  the  soil.  Onions  thrive  on  applications 
of  wood  ashes. 

Group  3.  Coarse  feeders  and  growers,  including 
cabbage,  spinach,  cucumbers,  tomatoes,  squash,  etc. 
These  are  the  great  manure  users.  Supply  it 
bountifully  in  the  hills  when  planting.  Spinach 
and  lettuce  will  make  good  use  of  nitrogen  ferti- 
lizers and  the  last  three  need  plenty  of  potash  after 
they  start  growing. 

Group  4.  Beans,  peas,  etc.,  which  develop  a 
large  leaf  and  stem  surface,  and  of  which  the  seeds 
are  used.  These  plants  obtain  their  own  nitrogen 
as  explained  above.  However,  they  like  a  light 
soil  which  manure  produces,  and  require  a  generous 
amount  of  potash  and  phosphoric  acid. 

Knowing  these  special  requirements  you  can 
feed  for  the  greatest  possible  results,  easily,  eco- 
nomically and  with  understanding. 

FERTILITY  THAT  EVERY  GARDEN  CAN  HAVE 

Manure  fills  a  number  of  wants  in  the  soil.  It 
supplies  nitrogen  or  rather  nitrogenous  compounds 
to  the  nitrifying  bacteria.  It  supplies  a  certain, 
although  a  smaller,  percentage  of  the  other  es- 
sential plant-foods,  potash  and  phosphoric  acid. 
And<finally,  it  adds  to  the  supply  of  humus,  or 


SELF-MAINTAINING  FERTILITY     219 

decaying  vegetable  matter,  which  is  one  of  the 
essential  elements  of  a  productive  soil.  The  func- 
tions of  this  vital  humus  are  (i)  to  lighten  and 
loosen  the  soil,  and  (2)  to  absorb  and  hold  moisture, 
thereby  rendering  more  constant  the  water  supply 
therein.  If  you  have  a  heavy  clay  soil  that  tends 
to  puddle  and  bake,  plow  or  dig  under  a  crop  of 
rye  every  fall,  and  plenty  of  manure  during  the 
summer,  then  watch  the  transformation.  On  the 
other  hand  this  wonderful  humus  will  do  just  as 
much  good  to  an  extremely  light,  sandy  soil,  through 
which  the  moisture  drains  too  rapidly,  and  which 
is  almost  devoid  of  raw  plant  food. 

AVAILABLE    MANURE    FOR    EVERY    SMALL    GARDEN 

Street  sweepings  are  almost  always  available, 
and  if  mixed  with  lawn  cuttings,  leaves,  etc.,  make 
excellent  manure.  It  has  been  found,  by  the  way, 
that  horse  manure  is  about  one-third  more  valuable 
than  that  of  cows  or  hogs.  Of  course,  if  you  keep 
a  horse  or  cow,  you  will  have  plenty  of  these  mate- 
rials; if  not,  you  can  generally  buy  them  from  livery 
stables,  but  try  to  get  manure  that  you  have  reason 
to  think  is  free  from  weed  seeds  and  is  fresh.  You 
will  probably  be  able  to  keep  it  with  less  loss  than 
they  would  in  the  stable  yard,  so  don't  make  a 
fuss  about  getting  "well-decayed  manure  only." 
If  hogs  can  work  over  the  manure,  they  will  both 
enrich  it  and  improve  its  condition.  As  I  have 
already  said,  compost  all  the  vegetable  waste  from 
the  place,  with  whatever  manure,  table  scraps, 
etc.,  you  save. 


220 


GARDEN  PROFITS 

THE   SIMPLE   ART   OF   USING   MANURE 


This  question  is  easy.     Use  it  (i),  well  decayed, 
(2),  abundantly    and   (3),    worked    well    into    the 


To  make  liauld  manure,  hang  a  basket  of 
coarse  burlap  or  wire  netting  In  the  top  of  a 
barrel.  In  this  put  horse  or  cow  manure, 
then  pour  water  through  it  and  let  all  the 
value  seep  through  without  clogging  up  the 
spigot.  Keep  the  barrel  nearly  full  all  the 
time  and  the  solution  will  maintain  Its 
strength  and  effectiveness 


soil.  Abundantly  doesn't  mean  a  few  wheelbarrow 
loads,  but  about  all  you  can  get.  And  from  fifty 
to  one  hundred  tons  per  acre  is  not  too  much,  though 
that  represents  about  a  ton  and  a  half  on  a  patch 
25  feet  square.  That,  I  say,  is  good,  but,  if  you 


SELF-MAINTAINING  FERTILITY     221 

cannot  get  that  much,  use  all  you  can  and  make 
up  the  difference  in  future  care. 

Fresh  manure  is  hot  —  that  is  why  we  use  it 
in  hotbeds  in  place  of  steam  pipes.  It  is  also  the 
reason  why  we  want  only  well  rotted  manure  for 
use  (as  a  food  only),  with  growing  crops. 

Mix  it  thoroughly  with  the  soil,  so  that  the 
plant  roots  will  have  to  spread  out  to  reach  it.  In 
this  way,  a  better  root  system  and  a  greater  feed- 
ing surface  are  developed.  This  prevents  also, 
any  possible  burning  of  tender  root-hairs  through 
contact  with  a  mass  of  rich  dressing. 

Spread  manure  on  the  garden  any  time,  in  fall, 
winter,  or  early  spring.  Then  plow  it  under, 
either  in  the  fall,  or  as  early  as  possible  in  the  spring, 
and  cultivate  thoroughly.  Even  if  the  first  crop 
you  raise  doesn't  get  all  the  benefit  it  might,  the 
food  remains  there  in  the  soil  for  the  use  of  future 
crops. 

SAVING  MANURE  =  SAVING  MONEY 

Just  be  careful,  first,  that  the  good  of  the  manure 
is  not  washed  out  of  it,  down  the  drain;  and  secondly, 
that  it  does  not  burn  and  become  white.  This 
burning  or  oxidizing,  is  just  what  occurs  in  the 
soil  except  that  there  it  goes  on  far  more  slowly, 
and  the  products  remain  in  the  soil,  whereas, 
in  the  exposed  manure  heap,  the  heating  is  rapid 
and  the  resulting  ammonia  is  lost  into  the  air. 

To  prevent  these  occurrences,  cover  the  manure 
pit;  and  turn  the  pile  with  a  fork,  now  and  then, 
or  let  hogs  work  it  over,  or  moisten  it  occasion- 


222  GARDEN  PROFITS 

ally,  preferably  with  liquid  manure,  though  water 
will  do. 

CONCENTRATED   PLANT-FOODS    FOR   SMALL 
GARDENS 

The  three  main  elements  of  plant  food  are  ni- 
trogen, phosphorus  and  potash.  All  of  these  can 
be  supplied  as  commercial  fertilizers,  in  rapidly 
available  forms. 

Since  they  require  so  little  time  for  preparation, 
they  should  be  applied  only  to  crops  that  are  grow- 
ing, or,  at  all  events,  not  previous  to  the  sowing  of 
the  seed.  I  remember  an  exasperating  waste  of 
some  hundred  pounds  of  good  fertilizer,  which  was 
put  on  the  garden  before  it  was  plowed,  the  stable 
manure  being  saved  till  later  by  the  "gardener"!! 

You  can  apply  commercial  fertilizer  either  by 
drilling  it  along  the  rows,  or  by  dissolving  the  ma- 
terials in  water  and  watering  the  ground  close 
about  the  plants;  the  latter  method  is  particularly 
suited  to  the  use  of  nitrogenous  fertilizers. 

HOW  MUCH   TO   USE 

In  the  garden  you  can  use  commercial  fertilizers 
at  the  rate  of  500  to  icoo  pounds  per  acre,  with 
the  best  results,  depending  on  the  special  needs 
of  the  crops  as  listed  above.  Of  course,  there  is 
no  need  of  stopping  at  1000  pounds.  Many  potato 
growers  apply  a  ton  to  the  acre,  and  don't  regret  it. 

However,  planning  applications  by  the  acre 
doesn't  help  you  to  fertilize  100  square  feet  of  cabbage 


SELF-MAINTAINING  FERTILITY     223 


or  beets  correctly.  Moreover  on  a  small  area,  the 
mistake  of  a  teaspoonful  too  much  or  too  little  is 
equivalent  to  an  error  of  a  fraction  of  a  ton  on 
an  acre. 

By  the  use  of  the  accompanying  table  any  given 
quantity  from  one  hundred  pounds  to  one  ton  per 


Amount 
for  I 
acre 

Approxi- 
mate equi- 
valent for 
i  sq.  yard 

Approxi- 
mate equi- 
valent for 
IO  sq.  ft. 

Exact 
equivalent 
for  i  sq. 
foot 

LBS. 

oz. 

oz. 

02. 

IOO 

i 

i 

•037— 

200 

! 

1 

.073  + 

300 

i 

i& 

.  IIO+ 

400 

ii 

il 

.147— 

500 

if 

if 

.183  + 

600 

2 

»l 

.  22O  + 

700 

»J 

2^ 

•257  + 

800 

M 

3 

.294— 

900 

3 

3t 

•33°+ 

IOOO 

3* 

3t 

.367+ 

IIOO 

3! 

4 

.404+ 

1200 

4 

4i 

.441— 

1300 

4* 

4* 

.478— 

I4OO 

4! 

SI 

-SI4+ 

1500 

5 

Si 

•SSI— 

1600 
1700 
I800 

Si 

i* 

If 

6| 

.588— 
.625— 
.661  + 

1900 

6* 

7 

.698- 

2OOO 

6f 

7* 

•735— 

2100 

7 

7iV 

•771  + 

22OO 

74 

8 

.8o8-|- 

23OO 

71 

81 

.845-1- 

2400 

8 

H 

.882— 

224  GARDEN  PROFITS 

acre  may  be  at  once  reduced  to  the  corresponding 
amount  per  square  foot  or  yard.  It  is  then  but 
the  work  of  a  moment  to  determine  the  correct 
amount  for  any  sized  bed  or  garden.  Also  have 
handy  a  saucepan  or  dipper  marked  to  indicate  a 
quarter-pound,  half-pound,  etc.,  in  order  that  the 
desired  quantity  may  be  at  once  measured  out, 
instead  of  having  to  weigh  it. 

In  case  the  table  should  not  be  at  hand  it  may 
be  convenient  to  know  the  following  rule:  Multiply 
the  length  in  yards  of  the  plot  to  be  fertilized  by 
the  width  in  yards.  Multiply  this  by  the  number  of 
pounds  to  be  used  per  acre,  point  off  four  places 
and  multiply  by  2.  The  result  will  be  the  number 
of  pounds  of  fertilizer  required  for  the  plot  in  ques- 
tion. 

Example:  Garden  bed  2  yards  by  5  yards  to  be 
fertilized  at  the  rate  of  1,500  pounds  per  acre.  The 
result  of  2  multiplied  by  5  is  10,  which,  multiplied 
by  the  number  of  pounds  to  be  used  per  acre,  gives 
15,000.  Point  off  four  places  —  1.5  —  and  multiply 
by  2,  giving  as  a  final  result  3,  or  the  number  of 
pounds  required. 

This  is  not  quite  as  accurate  as  the  table,  but  it 
is  a  great  deal  more  so  than  guessing. 

But  don't  figure  on  the  gross  area  of  your  gar- 
den. Measure  the  rows  you  are  to  fertilize,  mul- 
tiply them  by  say  a  foot  more  than  the  width  of 
the  crop,  and  calculate  for  that  area,  which  is  the 
real  crop  area. 

The  more  common  commercial  fertilizers  and 
those  which  you  can  most  easily  get,  are  as  follows, 


SELF-MAINTAINING  FERTILITY     225 


(including  their  valuable  constituents,  and  an  aver- 
age application  for  small  areas) : 


Plant  Food 

Fertilizer 
or  Source 

Use  per 
Sq.  Rod 

Notes 

Nitrogen 

Nitrate  of  Soda 
Sulphate  of  Am- 
monia 

I^fts. 
2      Ibs. 
2      Ibs. 

For  a  solution 
I  Ib  to  12  gals. 
water 

Potash 

Kainit 
Sulphateof  Potash 

Muriate  of  Potash 
Wood  Ashes 

if  Ibs. 
i*  Ibs. 

i\   Ibs. 

Plow  in 
all  you 
can 

Better       for 
Vegetables 
Better       for 
Fruit 

Phosphoric  acid 

Ground  rock 
(acid  phosphate) 
Dissolved  bone 
Basic  slag 

rl*: 

4      Ibs. 

SOME  VERY  CHEAP  FERTILIZERS 

Lime  is  valuable  for  lightening  heavy  soils  and 
sweetening  sour  ones.  That  is,  it  makes  conditions 
more  favorable  for  the  bacteria  cooks.  If  you  have 
any  old  plaster  lying  around  use  that;  it  is  slower 
to  act  but  useful  just  the  same. 

Salt  is  a  good  weed  killer,  and  yet  an  excellent 
fertilizer  for  asparagus. 

Wood  ashes   are  excellent  providers   of  potash, 


226  GARDEN  PROFITS 

and  help  to  lighten  the  soil  as  well.  Anthracite 
coal  ashes  are  useful  for  the  latter  purpose  in  the 
absence  of  anything  else,  but  they  have  no  food 
value.  If  you  can  choose,  use  them  in  building 
drives  and  paths. 

MANURES  THAT  YOU  DON'T  HAVE  TO  BUT? 

The  effects  of  green  manures  or  growing  crops 
plowed  under,  are  in  general  the  same  as  those 
of  barnyard  manure  —  i.  e.,  the  addition  of  humus 
and  raw  plant  food.  But  since  they  have  not  even 
begun  to  decay,  the  second  effect  is  much  more 
slowly  developed.  However,  the  great  value  of 
green  manuring  for  lightening  clay  sails  and  giving 
a  "body"  to  sandy  areas  should  not  be  lost  sight 
of.  If  your  garden  doesn't  plow  and  cultivate  as 
easily  as  you  would  like  to  have  it,  sow  rye,  or 
barley,  after  you  have  harvested  your  main  summer 
crops,  and  plow  all  the  growth  under  next  spring. 

The  clovers,  like  the  beans,  are  legumes,  and  there- 
fore especially  useful  in  accumulating  nitrogen  in  the 
soil.  Where  these  are  not  used,  rye,  barley,  millet 
or  buckwheat  is  a  satisfactory  green  manure  crop. 

There  have  recently  been  developed  strains  of 
cowpeas  and  soy  beans,  which  require  a  sufficiently 
short  season  to  allow  their  cultivation  in  the  North. 
These  legumes  have  already  been  found  of  much 
value,  but  only  in  the  Southern  states  where  the 
longer  season  permits  them  to  mature.  Keep 
your  eyes  open  for  "cowpeas  for  northern  sowing." 
You'll  find  them  mighty  useful. 


SELF-MAINTAINING  FERTILITY     227 

THE     IMPORTANCE     OF     BACTERIA  — THE     SECRET     OF 
UNENDING    FERTILITY 

I  hope  you  have  realized  how  great  this  is,  from 
the  outline  I  gave  you  of  the  action  of  these 
organisms.  It  is  only  a  short  time  since  the  very 


These  young  wheat  plants,  grown  under  the  same  climatic  condi- 
tions show  the  effect  of  soil  sterilization.  The  soil  in  pot  1  was 
untreated;  that  in  pot  2  was  subjected  to  toluene  vapor  for  twenty 
minutes:  that  in  pot  3  was  heated  to  212°  F.  The  death  of  bacteria- 
destroying  organisms  results  in  increased  bacterial  activity  and 
increased  plant  growth 

existence  of  soil  bacteria  was  discovered.  Yet  now 
they  are  recognized  as  the  foundation  of  the  won- 
derful changes  and  actions,  both  constructive  and 
destructive,  that  are  going  on  in  the  soil. 

One  of  the  recent,  important  developments  along 
this  line  of  research  has  disclosed  a  remarkable 


228  GARDEN  PROFITS 

condition  of  affairs.  It  is  now  believed  that  while 
there  are  many  millions  of  the  beneficial  bacteria 
in  the  soil,  yet  their  numbers  are  kept  in  check  by 
another  group  of  animal  microorganisms,  which  feed 
upon  them.  By  sterilizing  the  soil  (by  heating  or 
fumigating),  it  has  been  possible  to  kill  these  con- 
suming organisms,  and  to  permit  a  great  increase 
in  the  numbers  of  the  bacteria,  this  in  turn  resulting 
in  a  greatly  increased  plant  growth.  The  simple 
act  of  keeping  soil  at  the  temperature  of  boiling 
water  for  twenty  minutes,  resulted  in  a  growth  of 
plants  exactly  twice  as  great  as  that  in  untreated  soil! 

KILLING    THE    SOIL-ROBBERS 

Our  grandmothers  did  just  this  when  they  baked 
the  soil  for  their  geraniums.  They  didn't  know 
about  the  bacteria  perhaps,  but  the  result  was  the 
same.  Whether  we  can  make  use  of  this  knowl- 
edge in  a  wholesale  way  has  yet  to  be  learned. 
But  you  can  bake  your  hotbed  soil  easily,  and  if 
you  do,  I  can  promise  you  better,  stronger,  healthier 
seedlings  than  you  ever  raised  before.  Try  it  — 
and  do  a  little  scientific  investigating  for  yourself. 


And  finally,  do  you  now  realize  how  simple  this 
is  for  you,  while  yet  so  wonderful?  Nature,  with 
her  bacteria,  her  wonderful  chemical  and  physical 
transformations  is  at  work  all  the  time.  Leave  her 
alone  and  she  will  grow  plants,  weeds,  trees,  render 


SELF-MAINTAINING  FERTILITY     229 

the  soil  richer  and  more  fertile,  clothe  the  earth 
more  beautifully.  Give  her  your  help,  your  interest, 
your  attention,  and  she  will  direct  all  her  energies 
toward  the  growth  of  useful  plants.  She  will 
make  your  garden  blossom  and  bear  fruit  as  never 
before,  with  just  a  little  care,  and  cooperation  on 
your  part.  Putting  aside  every  selfish  thought 
of  all  the  wealth,  health  and  happiness  that  you  can 
get  from  a  little  garden  in  the  backyard,  don't  you 
really  think  you  owe  it  to  Nature  and  her  work 
to  do  your  part  and  grow  something? 


VII 
WHAT  AILS  YOUR  PLANTS? 

THE    INSECTS   AND   DISEASES  THAT   MAY  ATTACK 

YOUR   VEGETABLES  AND    FRUITS,  AND  How 

TO  VANQUISH  THEM — How  TO  MAKE 

SPRAY  MIXTURES 

Many  books  and  free  bulletins  from  various 
sources  tell  how  to  make  Bordeaux  mixture,  ar- 
senate  of  lead  solution,  etc.,  but  all  on  the  basis 
of  50  gallons.  This  is,  of  course,  much  too  large 
a  scale  for  most  backyard  gardens,  and  it  is 
more  or  less  inconvenient  mathematically  to  reduce 
all  the  amounts  proportionately.  The  regular, 
standard  formulas  are  here  given  in  the  quan- 
tities that  you  and  I  are  apt  to  need  in  our 
home  garden.  The  amounts  are  expressed  through- 
out in  terms  of  every  household  —  the  teaspoon, 
the  tablespoon  and  the  Mason  jar.  You  will 
need  nothing  unusual  to  measure  with  or  to  mix 
with. 

If  possible,  in  measuring  and  mixing  your  spray 
materials  use  old  utensils  and  keep  them  apart  for 
this  use.  Put  them  in  a  safe  place.  You  may  use 
good  silver  and  glassware,  and  afterward  wash  it 
clean,  but  wash  it  very  thoroughly,  in  hot  water. 


WHAT  AILS  YOUR  PLANTS  231 

Arsenate  of  lead,  especially,  sticks  tightly.  It  is 
this  fact  that  makes  it  particularly  valuable  as  an 
insecticide:  rain  does  not  wash  it  off  readily. 
Bear  this  fact  in  mind  when  you  measure  out  this 
arsenate. 

BORDEAUX    MIXTURE 

This  is  undoubtedly  the  best  known  and  most 
widely  used  combination  for  the  control  of  fungous 
diseases.  Among  the  fungicides  it  occupies  a  posi- 
tion like  that  formerly  held  by  Paris  green  among 
the  insecticides,  before  the  introduction  of  lead 
arsenate. 

In  your  garden  you'll  need  it  for  anthracnose  of 
the  bean  and  cucumber,  for  leaf  spot  of  the  beet 
and  currant,  for  early  and  late  blight  of  the  potato, 
and  a  dozen  other  ills.  Don't  forget  that  any 
fungicide  is  a  preventive  rather  than  a  cure.  It 
must  be  applied  early,  before  the  disease  has  made 
a  good  start. 

Standard  Formula.  The  regular  formula  now 
in  general  use  calls  for  four  pounds  of  copper  sul- 
phate, four  to  six  pounds  of  quicklime,  and  water 
to  make  fifty  gallons. 

To  Make  One  Gallon.  Take  one  heaping  table- 
spoonful  of  copper  sulphate;  one  and  a  half  round- 
ing tablespoonfuls  of  quicklime. 

This  is  the  equivalent  of  one  ounce  of  the  copper 
sulphate  and  one  and  a  quarter  ounces  of  the 
quicklime.  If  your  copper  sulphate  is  in  large 
crystals,  break  them  up  with  a  hammer  until 
there  are  no  pieces  larger  than  one-fourth  to  one- 


232  GARDEN  PROFITS 

half  inch.  The  lime  must  be  fresh,  not  air-slaked. 
It  should  be  pounded  up  fine  with  a  hammer,  unless 
you  buy  it  already  ground  up. 

Dissolve  the  copper  sulphate  in  one  quart  of 
warm  water.  Place  the  lime  in  a  separate  vessel, 
and  slake  it  slowly  with  a  little  water.  After  it 
stops  bubbling  add  enough  water  to  make  one  quart 
in  this  vessel. 

Now  pour  your  quart  of  copper  sulphate  solu- 
tion and  your  quart  of  lime  solution  together 
into  a  bucket  —  but  do  it  this  way:  pour 
a  little  from  each  into  the  bucket  and  then 
stir,  then  a  little  more  from  each  and  again 
stir,  and  so  on.  When  you've  done  this,  you'll 
have  two  quarts  of  bluish-white  mixture  in  the 
bucket. 

Add  to  this  two  quarts  of  water,  making  four 
quarts  in  all  of  your  mixture.  This  is  now  ready 
to  spray.  It  should  be  shaken  or  stirred  frequently 
while  being  sprayed;  and  it  should  be  made  up 
fresh  each  time  you  spray. 

AMMONIACAL    COPPER    CARBONATE 

This  may  be  used  on  ripening  fruit,  instead  of 
Bordeaux,  without  leaving  visible  sign  or  spoiling 
the  eating  qualities,  whereas  Bordeaux  will  persist 
in  more  or  less  conspicuous  spots. 

Standard  Formula.  In  making  up  a  full  barrel 
of  this  fungicide,  take  six  ounces  of  copper  carbon- 
ate, three  pints  of  ammonia,  and  water  to  make 
fifty  gallons. 


WHAT  AILS  YOUR  PLANTS          233 

To  Make  Two  Gallons.  Take  two  barely  level 
teaspoonfuls  of  copper  carbonate;  and  two  fluid 
ounces  of  ammonia. 

This  amount  of  copper  carbonate  is  the  equiva- 
lent of  one-fourth  ounce.  It  may  be  secured  at 
any  drug  store,  and  should  be  about  as  coarse  as 
granulated  sugar.  You  can  measure  out  two  fluid 
ounces  of  ammonia  by  taking  one-fourth  of  a 
half-pint  bottle.  Or  you  will  probably  find  some- 
where around  the  house  a  two-ounce  or  a  four-ounce 
bottle.  If  you  are  in  doubt,  determine  the  matter 
by  filling  a  pint  Mason  jar  with  the  bottle  you  are 
to  use.  There  are  sixteen  fluid  ounces  to  the  pint. 

Place  your  copper  carbonate  in  an  empty  quart 
jar,  and  pour  your  ammonia  over  it.  Use  just 
enough  ammonia  to  dissolve  it.  This  may  take  a 
little  more  or  a  little  less,  because  ammonia  varies 
in  strength.  Fill  up  the  jar  with  water  and  allow 
any  sediment  to  settle.  Pour  the  clear,  blue  liquid 
into  your  spray-bucket,  and  add  seven  quarts  of 
water,  making  eight  quarts  of  the  spray  mixture 
in  all. 

Like  Bordeaux,  this  fungicide  deteriorates  on 
standing,  and  should  be  made  up  fresh  each  time 
you  want  to  spray. 

FORMALIN 

Where  potatoes  are  scabby,  or  where  onions  are 
infested  with  smut,  experience  has  shown  that  the 
trouble  may  largely  be  averted  by  seed  treatment 
with  a  solution  of  formalin.  Other  materials  are 


234  GARDEN  PROFITS 

sometimes  used,  such  as  quicklime  or  potassium 
sulfid.  But  the  formalin  treatment  is  effective 
and  handy. 

For  Small  Lots.  Take  two  fluid  ounces  of  formalin 
(this  is  the  same  as  one-eighth  of  a  pint)  to  four 
gallons  of  water.  Immerse  the  uncut  potatoes 
in  this  and  let  them  remain  for  two  hours.  Then 
remove  them,  dry  them  a  little  and  plant  in  scab- 
free  soil. 

For  onion  smut  use  two  fluid  ounces  of  formalin 
to  four  gallons  of  water.  Sow  your  seed,  but  leave  it 
uncovered  in  the  drill.  Then  sprinkle  the  seed 
lying  in  the  drill  with  the  formalin  solution,  thus 
moistening  slightly  the  ground  just  adjacent  to 
the  seed. 

For  grain  smut  use  two  fluid  ounces  of  formalin 
to  six  gallons  of  water.  Pour  out  your  seed  in  a 
pile  on  the  floor.  Sprinkle  it  with  the  formalin 
solution  enough  to  moisten  all  the  grains.  Let 
stand  for  three  or  four  hours.  Then  spread  out 
and  dry  before  planting. 

PARIS  GREEN 

The  old  standby  for  leaf-eating  insects  is  Paris 
green.  Time  was  when  London  purple  was  much 
used,  but  its  composition  was  variable,  and  consid- 
erable amounts  of  free  arsenic  were  often  present, 
causing  burning  of  the  foliage.  To-day  arsenate 
of  lead,  which  is  considered  in  the  next  section,  is 
replacing  Paris  green. 

Standard   Formula.     Paris  green  may    be    used 


WHAT  AILS  YOUR  PLANTS          235 

simply  stirred  up  in  water;  or  it  may  be  added  to 
Bordeaux  mixture.  The  proportions  used  are  one 
pound  of  Paris  green  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  or 
two  hundred  gallons  of  water  or  Bordeaux.  When 
used  in  water,  two  or  three  pounds  of  lime  are  added. 

In  Small  Quantities.  Take  a  heaping  teaspoon- 
ful  of  Paris  green  to  three  gallons  of  water  or  three 
gallons  of  Bordeaux  mixture.  This  is  the  equiva- 
lent of  one-fourth  of  an  ounce. 

If  you  use  it  in  Bordeaux,  no  lime  need  be  added. 
If  you  use  it  in  water,  add  three  heaping  teaspoon- 
fuls  of  lime. 

ARSENATE    OF    LEAD 

About  the  only  difficulty  with  old-fashioned 
Paris  green  is  the  fact  that  it  washes  off  readily. 
In  the  case  of  some  vegetables,  such  as  cabbages, 
this  may  be  no  disadvantage.  We  prefer  to  have 
the  poison  come  off  before  the  heads  are  marketed. 
As  a  rule,  however,  it  is  a  distinct  advantage  to 
have  a  poison  that  will  adhere  through  showers. 
Arsenate  of  lead  will  do  this. 

Standard  Formula.  Arsenate  of  lead  is  used  at 
strengths  varying  all  the  way  from  three  pounds 
to  the  hundred  gallons  up  to  twenty  pounds  to  the 
hundred  gallons.  It  depends  on  the  power  of  re- 
sistance of  the  species  of  insect  for  which  the  spray 
is  applied.  There  is  no  danger  of  burning  the  foliage. 

In  Small  Quantities.  This  chemical  comes  in 
the  form  of  a  thick,  sticky  paste.  For  ordinary 
use  take  one  tablespoonful,  just  slightly  rounded,  to 
one  gallon  of  water  or  Bordeaux  mixture. 


236  GARDEN  PROFITS 

This  is  the  equivalent  of  one  ounce  of  the  paste. 
You  may  use  double  this  amount  if  desired  in  the 
case  of  resistant  insects,  such  as  the  potato  beetle. 

KEROSENE    EMULSION 

For  most  sucking  insects,  especially  the  soft- 
bodied  ones,  such  as  plant-lice  or  aphids,  a  satis- 
factory spray  is  to  be  found  in  kerosene  emulsion. 
It  is  not  a  poison,  and  is  of  no  avail  against  such 
insects  as  the  potato  beetle;  nor  is  a  poison  spray 
like  arsenate  of  lead  of  any  use  against  the  sucking 
insects  for  which  kerosene  emulsion  is  adapted. 
The  distinction  should  be  clearly  understood.  Kero- 
sene emulsion  is  a  contact  remedy.  Paris  green  and 
lead  arsenate  are  stomach  poisons. 

Standard  Formula.  In  making  up  this  spray 
mixture  on  a  large  scale  the  proportions  call  for 
one-half  pound  of  hard  soap,  one  gallon  of  water, 
and  two  gallons  of  kerosene.  The  soap  is  dissolved 
in  the  hot  water,  the  kerosene  is  added,  and  the 
spray-pump  is  used  to  churn  the  mixture  violently. 

In  Making  Small  Amounts.  Cut  from  a  cake  of 
common,  hard  soap  a  cube  about  one  inch  square. 
Take  one-half  pint  of  soft  water;  one  pint  of  common 
kerosene,  or  coal-oil. 

Pour  the  half-pint  of  water  into  any  convenient 
vessel  holding  a  quart  or  more,  in  which  you  can 
boil  it.  Shave  the  soap  up  fine  and  drop  it  into 
the  water.  Place  the  vessel  on  the  fire,  and  bring 
the  water  to  a  boil,  stirring  to  see  that  the  soap  is 
all  dissolved. 

Remove  the  vessel  from  the  fire  and,  while  the 


WHAT  AILS  YOUR  PLANTS          237 

soapy  water  is  still  hot,  add  the  pint  of  kerosene. 
At  once  churn  the  mixture  violently.  For  this 
purpose  you  may  use  a  common  egg-beater.  It 
won't  hurt  the  egg-beater  in  the  least:  you  can  easily 
wash  it  clean  afterward  with  soap  and  hot  water. 
Keep  on  churning  the  mixture  for  several  minutes 
until  you  have  a  creamy  mass  of  even  consistency 
throughout. 

This  is  your  stock  solution.  For  ordinary  summer 
use  you  will  take  one  part  of  this  and  add  to  it 
fifteen  or  twenty  parts  of  water. 

TOBACCO  WATER 

Concentrated  extracts  of  tobacco  are  now  on 
the  market  and  are  handy  and  effective  against 
soft-bodied  insects,  such  as  the  common  plant-lice. 
They  are  prepared  for  use  by  simple  dilution  with 
water. 

If  waste  tobacco  stems  are  available,  as  they  are 
apt  to  be  in  any  town  or  city  where  the  manufacture 
of  cigars  or  stogies  is  carried  on,  you  can  make  your 
own  tobacco  extract  as  follows: 

Take  any  convenient  vessel  and  pack  the  stems 
down  in  it  moderately  firm.  Pour  over  them  boil- 
ing hot  water,  just  enough  to  cover  them.  Let  this 
stand  several  hours.  Then  pour  off  the  brown 
liquor,  and  dilute  this  as  follows:  one  part  of  the 
brown  extract  to  four  parts  of  water. 

SOAP  SOLUTION 

Most  plants  kept  indoors  develop  sooner  or  later 
a  crop  of  aphids,  or  some  of  the  softer  scales. 


23  8  GARDEN  PROFITS 

A  satisfactory  and  handy  spray  or  wash  for  these 
may  be  made  by  dissolving  a  block  of  ordinary 
toilet  soap  in  water,  and  applying  the  solution  with 
a  small  sprayer  or  simply  by  washing  the  plants 
with  a  rag  or  sponge. 

To  make  the  soap  solution  take  a  cube  of  white 
soap  about  an  inch  square  or  a  trifle  larger,  shave 
it  up  fine,  and  dissolve  in  one  gallon  of  warm,  soft 
water. 

PYRETHRUM  IN    WATER 

Ordinary  pyrethrum  or  "insect  powder,"  if 
fresh,  is  of  considerable  value  as  a  spray  or  wash  for 
plants  indoors.  If  stale,  it  is  of  practically  no  value 
whatever. 

The  strength  generally  used  is  at  the  rate  of  one 
ounce  of  the  powder  to  two  or  three  gallons  of 
water. 

For  Small  Quantities.  Take  one  heaping  tea- 
spoonful  of  the  pyrethrum  and  add  it  to  two  quarts  of 
warm  water.  Allow  it  to  stand  for  a  while  before  use. 

POISONED   BRAN  MASH 

There  is  no  garden  pest  more  exasperating  than 
the  cutworm.  SomeTiow,  we  can  stand  it  to  have 
the  edge  of  a  leaf  chewed,  but  when  the  offender 
cuts  the  whole  plant  off  even  with  the  ground, 
leaving  it  there  for  our  observation  next  morning, 
we  draw  the  line. 

Cutworms  may  be  poisoned  readily,  if  we  give 
them  a  prepared  bran  mash  to  feed  on  just  before 
we  set  out  our  plants. 


WHAT   AILS  YOUR  PLANTS          239 

Standard  Formula.  In  large  quantities  the  mash 
is  made  by  taking  fifty  pounds  of  bran  or  middlings, 
two  quarts  of  molasses  and  one  pound  of  Paris 
green. 

To  Make  One  Quart.  Take  one  quart  of  wheat 
bran  or  middlings.  Mix  with  this  one  teaspoonful 
of  Paris  green,  seeing  to  it  that  the  poison  is  thor- 
oughly distributed  through  the  dry  meal.  Now, 
take  half  a  cupful  of  water,  and  add  to  it  one  table- 
spoonful  of  molasses,  or  the  equivalent  in  any  other 
sweet.  With  this  water  moisten  the  bran  slowly,, 
Use  more  water  if  necessary  until  the  bran  is  rather 
damp,  but  not  wet. 

This  should  be  distributed  in  teaspoonful  doses 
every  two  or  three  feet  over  the  ground  to  be  pro- 
tected. 

COMBINED    MIXTURES 

Combining  two  different  poisons  so  as  to  make 
a  double-headed  application  at  one  time  is  often 
a  labor-saving  device  for  the  amateur.  Thus, 
Bordeaux  mixture  can  be  used  in  place  of  water 
in  the  preparation  of  Paris  green,  and  in  this  way 
we  can  get  one  spray  that  will  kill  fungous  diseases 
and  chewing  insects  at  the  same  time.  Similarly, 
lime-sulphur  can  be  used  in  combination  with 
arsenate  of  lead.  (But  a  mixture  of  Paris  green  and 
lime-sulphur  is  injurious  to  the  foliage.) 

Probably  you  have  some  kind  of  a  sprayer  for 
this  work.  However,  if  you  cannot  justify  the 
expense  of  one  and  cannot  make  some  mechanical 
contrivance,  still  you  need  not  despair.  Follow 


240  GARDEN  PROFITS 

the  example  of  your  resourceful  predecessors  and 
use  an  old  whisk  broom.  Insects  and  disease  are 
rarely  rampant  in  small  gardens  where  care  and 
neatness  abide,  but  spraying,  like  weeding,  is  most 
effective  when  practised  as  a  preventive.  The  use 
of  spray  mixtures  gives  you  good  practical  ex- 
perience too  —  which  may  come  in  handy  some- 
day. 


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INDEX 


Note:  The  asterisk   (*"\    indicates  an  illustration. 


Ammoniac* !  copper  carbonate,   182, 

232 
Amount  of  sash  needed  in  garden, 1 14 

of  seed  for  50  ft.  row,  136 
Annual  cost  of  garden,  99 
Anthracnose,  bean,  171 
April  work,  162 
Arsenate  of  lead,  235 
Artificial  watering,  190 
Ashes,  as  a  fertilizer,  225 

to  improve  soil  texture,  159 
Asparagus,  forcing,  33 
how  to  cut, 
knife,  178* 

when  to  stop  cutting,  186 
bed,  care  of  the,  157 
how  to  make  an,  157 
in  July,  the,  192 
salt  on  the,  157,  178,  192 
soot  for  the,  189 
August  sowing,  seeds  for,  198 
work,  196 


Back  fence,  the  real  use  for  a,  29 
Backyard  garden,  calendar  of  a,  59 
Backyard,  the  redemption  of  a,  49 
Bacteria,  beneficial,  how  to  increase 
the,  228 

importance  of,  the,  227 

in  the  soil,  215 
Bagging  grapes,  196 
Barberry  for  a  windbreak,  29,  59 
Barrels,  celery  grown  in,  40* 

strawberries  grown   in,  39,40* 
Bean  anthracnose,  171 


Bean  poles,"clothes  poles  as,  34 

sunflowers  for,  34 
Bean  strings,  46 
Beans  in  coldframe,  125 

when  not  to  cultivate,  171 
Beets  in  coldframe,  123 
Berry  boxes,  old,  how  to  use,  155*,  156 
Berry  bushes  in  the  plan,  135 
Blackberries,  summer  pruning,  196 
Blanching  celery  with  boards,  196 

with  earth,  197 
Board,  planting,  160 
Boards,  blanching  celery  with,  196 
Bordeaux  mixture,  23 1 
Boys,  and  girls,  and  gardens,  85 
Boys'  garden,  a,  86 

plan  of,  88* 

yield  of,  87 
Brambles,  pruning  the,  149*,  150*,  196 

spraying,  181 

support  for,  182* 

tender,  how  to  care  for,  212 
Bran  mash,  poisoned,  238 
Brassicas,  80 
Bush  fruits,  how  to  mulch,  211 

how  to  plant,  161 
Business  man's  garden,  plan  of,  45* 

Cabbage,  harvesting,  33 

in  coldframe,  130 

Calendar,  of  a  backyard  garden,  59 
of  season's  work:  January,  134; 
Febuary,  148;  March,  151; 
April,  162;  May,  170;  June,  182; 
July,  190;  August,  196;  Sep- 
tember, 202 ;  October,  204;  No- 
vember, 207 


INDEX 


Canadian  wood-ashes,  31 
Carbonate,  ammoniacal  copper,  182, 

232 
Carrots,  in  coldframe,  123 

sprouting,  21 

when  to  harvest,  185 
Catalogues,  138 
Cauliflower,  in  coldframe,  129 

when  to  harvest,  184 
Celery,  blanching  with  boards,  196 

blanching  with  earth,  197 

grown  in  barrels,  40* 

how  to  care  for,  191 

in  the  coldframe,  127 

in  the  small  garden  storing,  209 

liquid  manure  for,  198 

outdoors,  keeping,  205 

storing  for  winter,  207* 

trench,  how  to  make  a,  208 
Chickens  in  the  garden,  35 
Children's  gardens,  85 
Clay  soil,  handling,  159 
Clothes  pole,  as  a  bean  pole,  34 

vegetables  and  vines  on,  30*, 

34,  35* 
Cloth  sash   for  hotbeds,  advantages 

of,  no 

Clover  as  a  fertilizer,  226 
Coldframe  as  a  greenhouse,  a,  115 

beans  in  the,  125 

beets  in  the,  123 

building  the,  109*,  1 14 

cabbage  in  the,  130 

carrots  in  the,  123 

cauliflower  in  the,  129 

celery  in  the,  127 

and  hotbed,  difference  between, 
106 

eggplant  in  the,  124 

gain  made  with  a,    105 

hardening-off  seedlings  in  the,  1 19 

how  to  prepare  the,  117 

leeks  in  the,  125 

lettuce  in  the,  120 

onion  in  the,  124 

parsley  in  the,  126 

peas  in  the,  131 

peppers  in  the,  122 


Coldframe,  reasons  for  having  a,  106 

how  to  transplant  in  the,  119 

spinach  in  the,  126 

the  management  of  a,  116 

tomatoes  in  the,  121 

ventilating  the,  118* 

watering,  the,  118 
Collars,  paper,  for,  seedlings,  177* 
Combination    planting,     commercial 
methods  of,  37 

planting,  crops  for,  38 
Combined  spray  mixtures,  239 
Combining  succession  with   rotation, 

79 

Commercial  fertilizer,  amount  to  use, 
223,  225 

fertilizer,  rule  for  using,  224 

fertilizers,  how  to  use,  222 

fertilizers,  kinds  of,  225 

methods  of  combination  planting, 

37 

Companion  cropping,  36 
Compost  pile,  how  to  make  a,  201 
Consumer  coming  into  his  own,  9 
Cooperative  vegetable  growing,  65 
Copper-carbonate,  ammoniacal,    182, 

232 

Corn,  how  to  prevent  varieties  mix- 
ing, 57 

by  June  2Oth,  19 

sprouting,  20 

the  main  crop,  172 
Cost  of  garden,  annual,  99 

of  tools,  144 
Cover  crop,  in  the  garden,  204 

rye  as  a,  202,  204 
Cow  manure,  value  of,  219 
Cowpeas  and  soy  beans,  226 
Cropping,  companion,  36 
Crops  for  combination  planting,  38 

hurryirg,  19 

succession,  a  rule  for,  176 
Crop,  corn  the  main,  172 
Cultivate,  how  to,  171 

when  not  to,  beans,  171] 
Cucumber  on  clothes  poles,  34 
Cucurbits,  80 
Cultivating  potatoes,  193 


INDEX 


Currants,  spraying,  181 
Cutter,  the  strawberry  runner,  180* 
Cutworm,  outwitting  the,  90*,  177*, 
210 
trenching  the  soil  for  the,  210 


Diary,  garden,  59,  92* 

Dibbling,  154*,  155 

Difference    between    coldframe    and 

hotbed,  106 
Distances  for  planting  fruits,  147 

for  planting  vegetables,  IO2,  104, 
136 

for  thinning  vegetables,  IO2,  179 
Drilling,  163 
Ducks  in  the  garden,  35 
Dwarf  fruit  trees,  how  to,  212 

supports  for,  29 


Earliest  vegetables,  the,  145 

Early  frosts,  getting  the  best  of,  204 

planting,  16,  17,  145 
Earth,  blanching  celery  with,  197 
Economical  thinning,  199 
Economy  in  the  garden,  16 
Effect  of  soil  sterilization,  the,  227* 
Eggplant  in  the  coldframe,  124 
Elements  of  plant  food  in  fertilizers, 

222,  225 

England,  seeds  in,  139 
Evergreens  for  a  windbreak,  29 
Expenses  of  ten-dollar  garden,  58 


Fall  planting  season,  the,  213 
February  plantings,  149 

work,  148 
Fertilizer,  ashes  as  a,  225 

how  much  to  use,  222,  225 

lime  as  a,  225 

salt  as  a,  225 

to  use  per  square  rod,  225 
Fertilizers,  clovers  as,  226 

commercial,  how  to  use,  225 


Fertilizers,  kinds  of,  225 
rule  for  using,  224 
elements  of  plant  food  in,  222, 

2ZJ 

Fifty  dollars  from  twenty-four  tomato 

plants,  II 

Five  crops  on  one  foot  of  ground,  70 
Flat,  145,  146* 
Forcing  asparagus,  33 

rhubarb,  33 
Formalin,  233 

Fourth  of  July  garden,  a,  23 
Fresh  manure,  the  value  of,  221 
Frosts,  early,  getting    the    best    of, 

204 

Fruit  bushes,  care  of  the  first  year, 
1  80 

in  the  plan,  135 

garden,  how  to  plant  the,  160 

how  to  thin,  195 

distances  for  planting,  147 

varieties  of,  147 

supports  for  dwarf,  29 

trees,  how  to  dwarf,  212 
Fruits,  small,  what  bothers  the,  241 

special  requirements  of,  147,  148 

spraying  the,  190 

summer  pruning  of,  181 


Gain  made  with  coldframes,  105 
Garden,    a    fourteen-year-old   boy's, 
86 

amount  of  sash  needed  in,  114 

annual  cost  of,  99 

backyard,  calendar  of  a,  59 

diary,  59,  92 

ducks  and  chickens  in  the,  35,  36 

how  to  water  the,  189 

invalid's,  returns  from  an,  15 

line,  143* 

plan,  the,  134 

planted  after  the  4th  of  July,  a, 
23 

record,  a  vest-pocket  system  of, 
92 

records,  the  need  of,  91 

small,  storing  celery  in  the,  209 


INDEX 


Garden,  ten-dollar,  a.  54 
ten-dollar,  plan  of  a,  55* 
ten-minutes-a-day,  a,  68,  71* 
vegetable,  pests  of  the,  244,  245 
what  your,  can  grow,  73 
yield  for  one  week,  69 
28  x  28  ft.,  yield  of,  51*,  53 
40  x  45  ft.,  plan  of,  60* 
80  x  100  ft.,  yield  of,  65 
Gardens,  boys,  and  girls,  and,  85 
Gardener's,  reward,  the  thorough,  91 
Gardener,  what  science  has  done  for 

the,  49 

Gather  vegetables,  when  to,  183 
Getting  the  best  of  the  early  frosts, 

204 

Girls,  and  boys,  and  gardens,  85 
Good  seed,  21,  139 
Grapes,  bagging  the,  196 
planting,  161 
support  for,  30 
Grape  vine,  how  to  prune  the,  212*, 

213* 

Greenhouse,  a  coldframe  as  a,  115 
Green  manures,  204,  226 
Growing  season,  the  busy,  170 
Grow,  what  your  garden  can,  73 


Hand  weeders,  141*,  171* 
Hardening  off,  seedlings,  no,  119 
Harvesting  cabbage,  33 
Harvest,  onions,  how  to,  200 
Heat-lovers,  80 
Heavy  soil,  how  to  dig,  211* 
Henderson,  Peter,  quoted,  9 
Hill,  best,  of  potatoes,  22 

how  and  when  to,  178 
Hoeing,  value  of,  14 
Hoes,  142*,  172* 
Hog  manure,  value  of,  219 
Home-made,  hotbed  mat,  a,  in 

pruning  pole,  199* 
Hone  manure,  value  of,  219 
Horse-weeds  for  pea  brush,  64 
Hotbed  and  coldframe,  difference  be- 
tween, 106 


Hotbed,  cloth  sash  for,  no 
cost  of  maintenance  of,  17 
how  to  build  a,  107 
mats.  III,  112* 
sowing  seeds  in  a,  109 
transplanting  seedlings  in  a,  148 
usefulness  of,  17 
ventilating  the,  118* 
How  and  when  to  hill,  178 
How  much  fertilizer  to  use,  222,  225 
seed  for  so-foot  row,  136 
seed  to  plant,  136 
How  to  brush  peas,  179 
build  a  manure  pit,  201 
coldframe,  109*.  114 
hotbed,  107,  108* 
care  for  celery,  191 
growing  melons,  186 
tender  bramble*,  212 
cultivate,  171 
cut  asparagus,  178 
dig  heavy  soil,  21 1* 

light  soil,  211* 
dwarf  fruit  trees,  212 
handle  clay  soils,  159 
harvest  onions,  200 
rhubarb,  178* 
increase  the  beneficial  bacteria, 

228 
make  a  celery  trench,  208 

a  compost  pile,  201 

ammoniacal  copper  carbonate, 
232 

an  asparagus  bed,  157 

a  rhubarb  bed,  158 

a  root  pit,  206 

Bordeaux  mixture,  231 

hotbed  mats,  in,  112* 

kerosene  emulsion,  236 

liquid  manure,  220* 

poisoned  bran  mash,  238 

soap  solution,  237 

tobacco  water,  237 
mulch  the  bush  fruits,  211 
pick  melons,  192 
plant  bush  fruits,  161 

strawberries,  161 

the  fruit  garden,  160 


INDEX 


How  to  prepare  the  coldframe,  117 
prune  brambles,  149*,  150* 
the  grape  vine,  212*,  213* 
•ow  seeds  in  the  hotbed,  109, 1 17 
store  manure  without  loss,  201, 

221 

roots,  206 

tell  a  ripe  watermelon,  200 
thin  fruit,  195 
transplant,  152,  153* 

in  the  coldframe,  119 
trim  tomato  vines,  193 
use  arsenate  of  lead,  235 

commercial  fertilizers,  222 

formalin  in  thc'garden,  234 

old  berry  boxes,  155*.  156 

Paris  green,  234 

manure,  220 
water  the  garden,  189 
Humus,  219 


Importance  of  bacteria,  the,  227 

of  soil  compactness  in  July  plant- 
ing, 27 

Insects,  trenching  the  ground  to  de- 
stroy, 204,210 
Intensive  cultivation,  6 
Invalid's  garden,  returns  from  an,  15 
Invalid,  what  a  garden  did  for  an,  14 


January  work,  134 
June  work,  182 

July  planting,  importance  of  soil  com- 
pactness in,  27 

planting,  kinds  of  vegetables  for, 

24 

what  to  sow  in,  194 
work,  190 


Keeping  celery  outdoors,  205 

seeds,  141 

Kerosene  emulsion,  236 
Kinds  and  varieties,  139 

of  plant  food,  225 


Knife,  asparagus,  178* 
Kohlrabi,  83*,  85 


Labels,  163*.  164*,  165* 
Leaf-crops,  80 
Legumes,  80 
Leeks  in  coldframe,  125 
Lettuce  in  coldframe,  120 
Light  soil,  how  to  dig,  21 1* 
Lime  as  a  fertilizer,  225 
Liquid  manure,  for  celery,  198 

how  to  make,  220* 
Living,  cost  of,  4 


Management  of  the  strawberry  bed, 
181 

the,  of  a  coldframe,  116 
Manure,  145 

cow,  value  of,  219 

fresh,  value  of,  221 

green,  226 

hog,  value  of,  219 

horse,  value  of,  219 

how  to  store  without  loss,  2OI,  221 
to  use,  220 

liquid,  for  celery,  198 
how  to  make,  220* 

value  of,  162,  219 

what  it  does  in  the  soil,  218 

when  to  spread,  221 

pit,  how  to  build,  201 
March,  planting  and  transplanting  in, 

IS  I.  I5» 

March  work,  151 
May  work,  170 
Measuring  rod,  143* 
Melons,  how  to  care  for  growing,  186 

how  to  pick,  192 
Mixtures,  spray,  combined,  239 
Mulch,  27 

bush  fruits,  how  to,  211 

for  strawberries,  210 

when  to  remove  the,  21 1 

winter,  in  the  orchard,  a,  202 


INDEX 


Nasturtium,  soaking  of,  seed,  21 

New  Zealand  spinach,  174 

Nitrate  of  soda,  for  vegetables,    189, 

191,  192 

Nitrification,  215 
Nitrogen,  222,  225 
"Nitrogen-fixers,"  216 
Nodules,  216 
November  work,  207 


October  work,  204 

One  foot  of  ground,  five  crops  on,  70 

Onions,  how  to  harvest,  200 

in  the  coldframe,  124 
Orchard,  pests,  242,  243 

winter  mulch  in  the,  2O2 
Outdoors,  celery,  keeping,  205 

Paper,  collars  for  seedlings,  177* 

pots,  iss 
Paris  green,  234 
Parsley  in  coldframe,  126 
Pea  brush,  gathering,  144 

horse-weeds  for,  64 
Peas,  how  to  brush,  179 

in  the  coldframe,  131 
Peppers  in  the  coldframe,  122 
Perennial  vegetables,  in  the  plan,  135 

labels  for,  164*,  165* 
Pests  of  the  orchard,  242,  243 

of  the  vegetable  garden,  244,  245 
Phosphoric  acid,  225 
Plan,  berry  bushes,  in  the,  135 
Plan  for  a  small  vegetable  garden,  101 

berries  and  fruits  in  the,  135 

of  a  boy's  garden,  88 

business  man's  garden,  45 
ten-dollar  garden,  55 
40  x  45  ft.  garden,  60 

perennial  vegetables  in  the,  135 

root  crops  in  the,  135 

the  garden,  134 
Planning  season,  the,  133 
Plant  food,  elements  of,  222,  225 

sources  of,  225 
Plant  early,  16,  145,  151 


Planting  and  transplanting  in  March, 

151,  152 

Planting,  board,  160* 
early,  16,  145,  151 
fruits,  distances  for,  147 
grapes,  161 
scheme,  succession,  81 
February,  149 
season,  the,  150 
season,  the  fall,  213 
tables  for  vegetable  gardens,  102, 

104 
vegetables,    distances    for,    102, 

136 

Plants,  growing  in  a  chicken  brooder, 
18 

tender,  setting  out,  176 
Poisoned  bran  mash,  how  to    make, 

238 

Portable  trellis  for  tomatoes,  187 
Potash,  222,  225 
Potatoes,  best  hill  of,  22 

cultivating  and  spraying  the,  193 
for  seed,  22 
in  seven  weeks,  20 
sprouting,  20* 
sprouting  tray  for,  21* 
when  to  plant  early,  156 
Pots,  paper,  155 
Preparing  the  soil,  the  importance  of, 

158* 

Principles  of  seed  sowing,  163 
Privet  for  windbreak,  29 
Profits  and  yields,  8 
Profit,  600  per  cent,  from  one-tenth 
of  an  acre,  92 

1,200  per  cent,  from  20  x  27  ft.  of 

ground,  43 
Prune  the  grape  vine,  how  to,  212,* 

213* 

Pruning  pole,  home-made,  199* 
Pruning,  summer,  of  fruits,  181 

tomatoes,  58, 193 
Pyrethrum,  238 


Quart,  amount  of  unpeeled  tomatoes 
to  a,  32 


INDEX 


Raspberries,  summer  pruning,  196 

Record  book,  pages  of,  93* 

Records,  garden,  the  need  of,  91 
result  of  three  years,  95 

Redemption  of  a  backyard,  the,  49 

Repairs  and  tools,  141 

Requirements,  special,  of  fruit,  147 

Result  of  three  years'  records,  95 

Returns  from  an  invalid's  garden,  15 

Reward,  the  thorough  gardener's,  91 

Rhubarb,  bed,  how  to  make  a,  158 
forcing,  33 
how  to  harvest,  178 

Rolling  the  soil,  28 

Root  crops  in  the  plan,  135 

Root  pit,  how  to  make,  206 

Roots,  how  to  store,  206 

Rotation,  combining,  with  succession, 
79 

Row-marker,  a,  170* 

Rule  for  using  commercial  fertilizers, 
a,  224 

Runner  cutter,  strawberry,  1 80* 

Runners,    strawberry,    when    to    re- 
move, 1 80 

Rye  as  a  cover  crop,  202,  204 


Salsify,  82,  85* 

Salt  as  a  fertilizer,  225 

on  the  asparagus  bed,   157,  178, 

192 
Sash,  amount  needed  in  garden,  114 

cloth,  advantages  of,  no 
Scarifier,  141*,  172* 
Science,  what,  has  done  for  the  gar- 
dener, 49 
Scuffle  hoe,  172* 
Season,  of  planting,  the,  150 

the  busy  growing,  170 

the  fall  planting,  213 

the  quiet,  207 

the  planning,  133 
Seed-bed,  the,  159 
Seed,  how  much,  to  plant,  136 

potatoes,  for,  22 

sowing,  in  the  hotbed,  109,  117 

vitality  of,  98 


Seedlings,  hardening  off,  no,  119 

paper  collars  for,  177* 

transplanting  in  hotbed,  148 
Seeds,  and  yields  for  50  ft.,  136 

for  August  sowing,  198 

in  England,  139 

keeping,  141 
Seedsmen,  138 

Seed  sowing,  the  principles  of,  163 
September  sowings,  203 

work,  202 

Setting  out  tender  plants,  176 
Seven  weeks,  potatoes  in,  20 
Six  hundred  per  cent,  from  one-tenth 

of  an  acre,  92 

Small  fruits,  what  bothers  the,  241 
Soaking  of  vegetable  seeds,  21 
Soap  solution,  237 
Soda,  nitrate  of,  for  vegetables,    189, 

191,  192 
Soil,  bacteria  in  the,  215 

heavy,  how  to  dig,  211* 

light,  how  to  dig,  211* 

preparation,     the  importance  of, 
158* 

rolling  the,  28 

sterilization,  effect  of,  227* 

trenching  the,  for  cutworms,  204, 
210 

what  manure  does  in  the,  218 
Soot,  for  the  asparagus  bed,  189 
Sources  of  plant  food,  the,  225 
Sowing,  August,  seeds  for,  198 

for  succession,  166,  175 

seed  in  a  hotbed,  109,  117 

September,  203 
Soy  beans  and  cowpeas,  226 
Spading,  value  of,  61 
Spinach,  in  coldframe,  126 

New  Zealand,  174 
Spraying  brambles  and  currants,  181 

potatoes,  193 

the  fruits,  190 
Spray,  mixtures  combined,  239 

pump,  188*,  239 
Sprouting,  vegetables,  20,  21 

tray  for  potatoes,  21* 
Square  rod,  fertilizer  to  use  per,  225 


INDEX 


Sterilization,  soil,  effect  of,  227* 
Store,  roots,  how  to,  206 
Storing  celery,  for  winter,  207* 

in  the  small  garden,  209 
Storing  manure  without  loss,  201, 221 
Strawberries  grown  in  barrels,  39,  40* 

how  to  plant,  161 

mulching,  210 

yield  per  acre,  39 

Strawberry  bed,  management  of  the, 
181 

utilizing  the,  38 

runner-cutter,  180* 

runners,  when  to  remove,  180 
Street  sweepings,  16,  219 
Succession,  combining  with  rotation, 
79 

crops,  a  rule  for,  176 

planting  scheme,  a,  81 

sowing  for,  166,  175 
Summer  pruning  of  blackberries  and 
raspberries,  196 

of  tree  fruits,  181 
Sunflowers  for  bean  poles,  34 
Support  for,  brambles,  182* 

dwarf  fruit  trees,  29 

grapes,  30 

Sweet  pea  seed,  soaking  of,  21 
Swiss  chard,  84*,  85 


Tank,  washing,  for  vegetables,  a,  183 
Tender  plants,  setting  out,  176 
Ten-dollar  garden,  a,  54 

expenses  of,  58 

plan  of,  55* 
Ten  dollars,  what  one  woman  can  do 

with,  54 
Ten-minutes-a-day  garden,  a,  68,  71* 

yield  of,  78,  79 
Thinning,  economical,  199* 

vegetables,  179 
Tobacco  water,  237 
Transplant  in  a  coldframe,  how  to, 

119 
Transplanting,  and  planting  in  March, 


Transplanting,  in  July,  191 

seedlings  in  hotbed,  148 

vegetables  for,  136,  137 
Tray,  sprouting,  for  potatoes,  21* 
Trellis,  a  simple,  47* 

for  tomatoes,  30,  46 

portable,  for  tomatoes,  187 
Trench,  celery,  how  to  make,  208 
Trenching  the  ground  to  destroy  in- 
sects, 204,  210 
Trowels,  141* 

Tomatoes,  amount  of  unpeeled  to  a 
quart,  32 

in  the  coldframe,  121 

on  clothes  pole,  34 

one-fifth  of  a  ton  of,  3 1 

pruning,  58,  193 

trellis  for,  30,  46 
Tomato  plants  on  single  pole,  13* 

trellis,  a  portable,  187 

vines,  how  to  trim,  193 

keeping  over  winter,  33 
Ton,  one-fifth  of  a,  of  tomatoes,  31 
Tools,  and  repairs,   141*,  142*.  143* 
154*,  170*,  171*,  172* 

cost  of,  144 

Twelve  hundred  per  cent,  profit  from 
20  x  27  ft.  of  ground,  43 


Under-capitalization,  7 
Usefulness  of  hotbed,  17 


Value  of,  cow  manure,  219 

fresh  manure,  221 

hog  manure,  219 

horse  manure,  219 

manure,  the,  162 

spading,  61 
Varieties,  and  kinds  of  vegetables/139 

of  corn,  how  to  prevent,  mixing, 
57 

of  fruit,  147 

Vegetable  garden,  pests  of  the,  244, 
*45 

plan  for  a  small,  101* 


INDEX 


Vegetable    gardens,    planting  tables 

for,  102,  104 

Vegetable  growing,  cooperative,  65 
Vegetables,  distances  for  planting,  102, 
I36 

for  transplanting,  136,  137 
nitrate  of  soda  for,  189,  191,  192 
the  earliest,  145 
distances  for  thinning,  179 
varieties  and  kinds  of,  139 
washing  tank  for,  a,  183 
when  to  gather,  183 
you  can  grow,  73 
Ventilating  the  coldframe,  118* 
Vest-pocket  record  garden  system,  a, 

92 
Vitality  of  seeds,  98 


When,  and  how  to  hill,  178 
to  gather  vegetables,    183 
plant  early  potatoes,  156 
remove  the  mulch,  211 
spread  manure,  221 
Windbreak,  29,  59 

Winter,   keeping  tomato  vines    over, 
33 

mulch  in  the  orchard,  a,  202 
storing  celery  for,  207* 
Woman, what  one,  can  do  with  $10,  54 
Wood-ashes,  Canadian,  31 
Work,     April,      162;     August,    106; 
February,  148;  January,  134;  July, 
190;  June,  182,  March,  151;  May, 
170;  November,  207;  October  204; 
September,  202 


Washing  tank  for  vegetables,  a,  183 
Watering,  artificial,  190 
the  coldframe,  118 
Watermelon,  how  to  tell  a  ripe,  200 
Week,  yield  of  garden  for  one,  69 
What  bothers  the  small  fruits,  241 
certain  plants  like  best,  217 
manure  does  in  the  soil,  218 
to  sow  in  July,  194 
yomr  garden  can  grow,  73 


Yield  of  boy's  garden,  87 
garden  for  one  week,  69 
strawberries  per  acre,  39 
ten-minutes-a-day  garden,  78,  75 
28  i  28  ft.  garden,  53 
80  x  100  ft.  garden,  65 

Yields,  and  amount  of  seed  for  50  feel 
136 
and  profits,  8 


THE  END 


THE  COUNTRY  LIFE  PRE38 
GARDEN  CITY,  N.  Y. 


DEC  09  1988 


DATE  DUE 


3  1970  00705  2027 


A    001228355    2 


